Causes | Bowel inflammation

Causes

Behind the term “infectious bowel inflammation” is the popularly known “gastro-enteritis” (stomach flu). The physician then also speaks of gastroenteritis. Various pathogens can be the cause, but what they have in common is a possible transmission to other people: The gastro-enteritis flu is therefore contagious!

Therefore, strict hygiene must be observed in the event of illness. Especially the use of a common toilet should be avoided if possible or at least only after thorough disinfection. Classical symptoms of gastro-enteritis are nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

A distinction is made between pathogens that are pathogenic themselves and pathogens that produce toxic substances (toxins) (e.g. EHEC). Among the most common viruses: Noroviruses, Adenoviruses and Rotaviruses. Bacteria are among the most common: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, various pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Yersinia, Clostridium difficile and Staphylococcus aureus.

Among the most common parasites: Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium parvum In principle, the pathogens mentioned can be transmitted mainly via contaminated food, contaminated drinking water, smear infections due to inadequate hand hygiene after going to the toilet or direct contact with excretion products of sick persons. Some infectious inflammations of the intestines are subject to compulsory medical reporting, such as salmonella. In this case, the doctor treating the patient must report the infection to the competent health authority.

This usually serves to collect statistical data on the respective pathogens. The generic term chronic inflammatory bowel diseases includes clinical pictures that are characterized by an inflammatory change in the bowel wall. They can be “chronically active” (i.e. the symptoms are permanently present) or “intermittent”, alternating between symptomatic and symptomatic phases.

In most cases, those affected fall ill between the ages of 15 and 40, but in principle any age is possible. It is estimated that about 200 out of every 100,000 inhabitants in Europe are affected. The cause of chronic inflammatory bowel disease has not yet been conclusively clarified.

However, genetic predisposition, stress, nicotine consumption and environmental conditions seem to play a role. Crohn’s disease is characterised by chronic inflammation of the entire intestinal wall, which can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract in sections (discontinuously). In the course of the disease, patients develop abdominal pain and diarrhoea, often accompanied by fever and weight loss.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon mucosa, which always starts behind the anal area in the rectum and from there continuously spreads to other sections of the colon. Patients suffer mainly from bloody diarrhoea, accompanied by a permanent compulsion to defecate (tenesmus). Diverticula are bulges of the colon mucosa, which are very common: More than 50% of 60-year-olds are affected.

In diverticulitis, small injuries of a diverticulum occur, e.g. favoured by a low-fibre diet. This is how bacteria get into the bulge and cause an inflammation there. Typically, affected persons feel pain in the left lower abdomen, accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.