Endoscopic Findings and Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases of the Lower GI Tract: Bacterial, Pseudomembraneous, Amoebic Colitis Cytomegalovirus

Abstract

The clinical features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be mimicked by other infectious enterocolitides. Therefore, differential diagnosis by colonoscopic examination has an important role in the diagnosis of IBD. Infectious enterocolitis caused by salmonella, ameba, and Yersinia infection may appear to be Crohn’s disease; cytomegalovirus (CMV) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection may also as appear to be ulcerative colitis at diagnosis. Nevertheless, CMV has an important role in aggravating clinical symptoms in patients with pre-existing ulcerative colitis. Careful history-taking, physical examinations, and laboratory test are helpful for differential diagnosis of colitis caused by infectious causes. Histologic findings may help to distinguish these infectious colitides.