Colitis

colitis /co·li·tis/ (ko-li´tis) inflammation of the colon; see also enterocolitis.

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amebic colitis  see under dysentery.

antibiotic-associated colitis  see under enterocolitis.

collagenous colitis  a type of colitis of unknown etiology characterized by deposits of collagenous material beneath the epithelium of the colon, with crampy abdominal pain and watery diarrhea.

granulomatous colitis  transmural colitis with the formation of noncaseating granulomas.

ischemic colitis  acute vascular insufficiency of the colon, affecting the portion supplied by the inferior mesenteric artery; symptoms include pain at the left iliac fossa, bloody diarrhea, low-grade fever, and abdominal distention and tenderness.

mucous colitis  former name for irritable bowel syndrome.

regional colitis , segmental colitis transmural or granulomatous inflammatory disease of the colon; regional enteritis involving the colon. It may be associated with ulceration, strictures, or fistulas.

transmural colitis  inflammation of the full thickness of the bowel, rather than just mucosa and submucosa, usually with formation of noncaseating granulomas. It may be confined to the colon (segmentally or diffusely) or be associated with regional enteritis in the small intestine. Clinically, it may resemble ulcerative colitis, but with deeper ulcerations, stricture formation, and fistulas, particularly in the perineum.

ulcerative colitis  chronic ulceration in the colon, chiefly of the mucosa and submucosa, manifested by cramping abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and loose discharges of blood, pus, and mucus with scanty fecal particles.

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co·li·tis (k-lts)

n.

Inflammation of the colon.

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Colitis

Inflammation of the colon or large bowel which has several causes. The lining of the colon becomes swollen, and ulcers often develop. The ability of the colon to absorb fluids is also affected, and diarrhea often results.

Mentioned in: Analgesics, Opioid, Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, Antidiarrheal Drugs, Antihelminthic Drugs, Balantidiasis, Cephalosporins, Diarrhea, i>, Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Shigellosis

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colitis (k·līˑ·tis),

n inflammation of the colon and rectum; can result in intestinal ulcerations and bleeding, diarrhea, and weight loss.

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colitis (klī´tis),

n an inflammatory condition of the large intestine. Most of the diseases of this group are of unknown origin.

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colitis

pl. colitides; inflammation of the colon. There are many types of colitis, each having different etiologies. The differential diagnosis involves the clinical history, fecal examinations, proctoscopy, radiological studies such as barium enemas, and sometimes biopsy.

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antibiotic-associated colitis

colitis associated with antimicrobial therapy occurs in humans and animals. It can range from mild nonspecific colitis and diarrhea to severe fulminant pseudomembranous colitis (see below) with profuse watery diarrhea. The inflammation may be caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium difficile, a microorganism that is not normally present in the resident bowel flora. Presumably, the disruption of the normal flora allows the growth of C. difficile. There is developing evidence that, in foals and adult horses, C. difficile can be associated with diarrheal disease that can vary from mild to self-limiting to an acute and fatal enterocolitis. Evidence for this association is the biological plausibility, some evidence that this syndrome can be reproduced experimentally, and the ability to demonstrate the organism or its toxin in the feces of horses with the enterocolitis in comparison with the low prevalence and absence of toxin in the feces of non-diarrheic horses. This syndrome commonly occurs in horses following antimicrobial therapy and/or hospitalization. It is possible that enterotoxin from intestinal C. perfringens may also contribute in horses and the syndrome has been called equine clostridiosis.

ciliate colitis

colitis in primates caused by Troglodytella spp. and characterized by diarrhea.

colitis cystica profunda

dilated, grossly visible colonic glands protrude through the muscularis mucosae into the submucosa; no specific cause attributed; an incidental necropsy finding, especially in pigs.

eosinophilic ulcerative colitis

occurs in humans and dogs, either as a primary disease or as part of an eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Characterized histologically by eosinophilic infiltration of the lamina propria and submucosa. May be caused by hypersensitivity reactions, parasites or foreign body reactions.

granulomatous colitis

see histiocytic ulcerative colitis (below).

histiocytic ulcerative colitis

a chronic, debilitating inflammation of the colon occurring predominantly in young Boxer dogs. Affected dogs have a chronic hemorrhagic diarrhea with tenesmus, and occasionally vomiting, inappetence and weight loss. Colonic mucosa is thickened, friable and ulcerated. Macrophages containing PAS-positive granules are found in the mucosa and submucosa. The cause of this disease is unknown. It is similar, but not identical to, ulcerative colitis, granulomatous colitis and Whipple's disease of humans.

idiopathic colitis

a disease similar to histiocytic ulcerative colitis (above), occurring predominantly in dogs other than Boxers and lacking the PAS-positive granules in histiocytes.

mucous colitis

see irritable colon syndrome.

plasmacytic-lymphocytic colitis

mucosal infiltration by plasmacytes and lymphocytes associated with sign of colitis in dogs. Dietary hypersensitivity is considered an important cause.

pseudomembranous colitis

a severe acute inflammation of the bowel mucosa, with the formation of pseudomembranous plaques. It is most commonly associated with antimicrobial therapy (see antibiotic-associated colitis (above)). Called also pseudomembranous enterocolitis.

psychologically induced colitis

see irritable colon syndrome.

uremic colitis

an outstanding lesion in cattle dying of uremia.

colitis-X

a peracute colitis of horses, sometimes occurring as outbreaks, characterized by a short course of about 24 hours, profuse diarrhea, sometimes with colic and dysentery and profound dehydration. The cause is unknown and the outcome invariably fatal.