Colitis is inflammation of the colon, the large intestine, producing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus, urgency, fatigue, and weight loss. It is not a single disease but a manifestation of several distinct processes, classified chiefly by cause. Inflammatory bowel diseases, in…
Colitis is inflammation of the colon, the large intestine, producing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus, urgency, fatigue, and weight loss. It is not a single disease but a manifestation of several distinct processes, classified chiefly by cause. Inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are chronic immune-mediated conditions in which dysregulated mucosal inflammation damages the bowel wall; infectious colitis results from bacterial, viral, or parasitic agents; and other forms arise from ischemia, medications, or microscopic inflammatory changes. Diagnosis integrates clinical assessment with endoscopy and histology, cross-sectional imaging such as CT and MR enterography to define extent and complications, and laboratory and molecular markers, including studies of inflammatory signaling and susceptibility variants. Management is directed by the underlying type and severity: infectious causes may require antimicrobials, while chronic inflammatory disease is treated with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents, dietary measures, and, when necessary, surgery. Research interest extends to anti-inflammatory effects of dietary compounds, probiotics, and natural products as potential adjuncts. Because untreated or poorly controlled colitis can lead to serious complications, accurate classification, timely diagnosis, and tailored treatment are central to digestive disorder care and to preserving long-term bowel health.
9 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 9 articles above have been cited 109 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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