ENDOSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF INFECTIOUS ENTEROCOLITIS DIFFERENTIATED FROM INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Abstract

We have described the endoscopic diagnoses of Campylobacter enterocolitis and Salmonella enterocolitis, which must be differentiated from ulcerative colitis (UC), intestinal tuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitis, which must be differentiated from Crohn’s disease (CD), and amebic colitis, which must be differentiated from UC and CD. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) must be differentiated from infectious enterocolitis because if immunosuppressants, the main treatment for IBD, are administered for infectious enterocolitis, the condition may worsen. Additionally, infectious enterocolitis can be cured with antibiotics, and if it is misdiagnosed as IBD, the patient may continue to receive drug treatment, including immunosuppressants. To prevent misdiagnosis, it is necessary to understand and exclude infectious enterocolitis if UC or CD is diagnosed. The most important factor in diagnosis is whether infectious enterocolitis can be suspected based on endoscopic images. If suspected, tests specific to each type of infectious enterocolitis must be performed for a definitive diagnosis.