What is infectious colitis? How do you get colitis? What are the types and symptoms of infectious colitis? What is the treatment for infectious colitis?

Understanding Infectious Colitis

Infectious colitis is an inflammatory condition that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Unlike inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, infectious colitis is typically an acute illness caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for infectious colitis.

Types of Infectious Colitis

Infectious colitis can be caused by a variety of pathogens, including:

• Viral colitis: Caused by viruses such as norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, and cytomegalovirus.
• Bacterial colitis: Caused by bacteria like Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium difficile, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Parasitic colitis: Caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
• Sexually transmitted colitis: Caused by pathogens like HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes simplex 1 and 2, and syphilis.

Symptoms of Infectious Colitis

The symptoms of infectious colitis can be similar to those of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and gastroenteritis, including:

• Watery or bloody diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Fever
• Appetite loss
• Weight loss

Causes and Risk Factors of Infectious Colitis

The most common way to develop infectious colitis is through contact with contaminated food or water. People may be at a higher risk of contracting the infection if they:

• Travel to foreign countries
• Stay in a hospital
• Take antibiotics
• Have close contact with an infected person

Certain medical conditions, such as sickle cell anemia or hemolytic anemia, as well as the use of immunosuppressant medications, can also increase the risk of developing infectious colitis.

Diagnosis and Testing for Infectious Colitis

During a medical examination, the doctor will ask about the patient’s symptoms and potential exposure to risk factors. They may order various tests, such as:

• Stool cultures to identify the underlying pathogen
• CT scans, colonoscopies, or tissue biopsies to rule out other causes
• Fecal cultures to determine the specific type of infection

Treatment for Infectious Colitis

The treatment for infectious colitis depends on the underlying cause:

• Bacterial colitis: Antibiotics are commonly used to treat bacterial infections, although they may not be appropriate for children due to the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome.
• C. difficile infection: Antibiotics are typically recommended, especially for immunosuppressed individuals.
• Mild cases: Many cases of infectious colitis resolve on their own without the need for treatment, although fluid replacement may be necessary to address dehydration.

In some cases, a fecal transplant may be necessary to address recurring infections, such as with C. difficile.

Complications and Prognosis of Infectious Colitis

Potential complications of infectious colitis include:

• Toxic megacolon
• Intestinal perforation
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome
• Reactive arthritis
• Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Encephalitis
• Seizures
• Hemorrhagic colitis
• Kidney failure
• Pancreatitis
• Cholecystitis
• Meningitis
• Hyponatremia
• Septic shock
• Death

Most cases of infectious colitis will clear within about 7 days, but in severe cases, it may take several weeks for the infection to resolve. Recurrence is also possible, with around 1 in 6 people with C. difficile infection experiencing a recurrence within 2-8 weeks.

Preventing Infectious Colitis

To help prevent the spread of infectious colitis, it’s important to practice good hygiene, such as regularly washing hands, sanitizing surfaces, and avoiding contact with infected individuals. In some cases, a fecal transplant may be necessary to address recurring infections.

Frequently Asked Questions

How serious is infectious colitis, and how long does it last?

Most people start to feel better within about 7 days, but in severe cases, it can take several weeks for the infection to clear. Complications can be serious, including toxic megacolon, intestinal perforation, and even death.

How do you get a colitis infection?

The most common way to contract infectious colitis is through exposure to contaminated food or water. People may also be at higher risk if they travel to foreign countries, stay in a hospital, take antibiotics, or have close contact with an infected person.

What is the treatment for infectious colitis?

The treatment for infectious colitis can vary depending on the underlying cause. Antibiotics may be used to treat bacterial infections, although they may not be appropriate for children. In mild cases, the infection may resolve on its own with fluid replacement to address dehydration. In some cases, a fecal transplant may be necessary to address recurring infections.

Infectious colitis: Types, symptoms, and more

Infectious colitis is an inflammatory condition that can cause diarrhea. Treatment depends on whether the colitis results from bacteria, a virus, or a parasite.

Infectious colitis causes symptoms similar to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including rectal pain, increased urgency to pass stool, and bloody mucus discharge from the anus.

Several pathogens may cause this acute form of diarrhea, including viruses, parasites, and bacteria.

This article reviews what infectious colitis is, its types, symptoms, causes, and more.

Colitis is inflammation of the colon, which is the part of the intestines where stool forms.

Colitis can cause several symptoms, including:

• abdominal pain
• bloating
• nausea
• urgent diarrhea

Infectious colitis is a type of colitis resulting from viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

It is generally an acute illness that will clear within about 7 days, with or without treatment. More severe cases can last for several weeks.

Common types of colitis and their causes include:

• Viral colitis: Norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, and cytomegalovirus.
• Bacterial colitis: Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium difficile, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Parasitic colitis: Entamoeba histolytica
• Sexually transmitted colitis: HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes simplex 1 and 2, and syphilis.

While different types of colitis can cause similar symptoms, the underlying cause may affect treatment.

Infectious colitis can cause symptoms similar to those of IBD and gastroenteritis, such as:

• watery or bloody diarrhea
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• nausea
• fevers
• appetite loss
• weight loss

Most people who develop infectious colitis do so after coming into contact with contaminated food or water.

People may be at higher risk of contracting infectious colitis if they:

• travel to foreign countries
• stay in a hospital
• take antibiotics
• have close contact with an infected person

Bacterial infections account for about 47% of all cases. Common bacterial causes in the United States include Salmonella and Clostridium difficile, also known as Clostridioides difficile.

Living with certain medical conditions, such as sickle cell anemia or hemolytic anemia, or taking certain medications, such as immunosuppressors, puts a person at a higher risk of Salmonella infection.

Other possible bacterial causes include:

• Campylobacter
• Shigella
• E. coli
• Yersinia

Less commonly, amebic (parasitic) and viral infections can cause colitis.

During an exam, a doctor will ask about a person’s symptoms. They may also ask about possible exposure to known risk factors, such as a recent hospital stay or travel abroad.

They will likely run bacteria cultures of stool samples to determine whether the underlying cause of symptoms is bacterial in origin.

The doctor may also order additional testing, such as CT scans, a colonoscopy, tissue biopsies, and fecal cultures, to rule out other colitis causes.

Treatment may vary depending on the cause. Antibiotics can help treat bacterial colitis. However, antibiotics are inappropriate for children because of the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome.

For C. diff, doctors recommend antibiotic treatment for most people, especially if they are immunosuppressed.

Most people with mild forms of colitis do not need treatment. Infections typically clear on their own.

A person may develop dehydration due to fluid loss from diarrhea.

Other complications depend on the underlying pathogen causing the infection. Possible complications include:

• toxic megacolon
• intestinal perforation
• hemolytic uremic syndrome
• reactive arthritis
• post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• encephalitis
• seizures
• hemorrhagic colitis
• kidney failure
• pancreatitis
• cholecystitis
• meningitis
• low blood sugar
• hyponatremia
• septic shock
• death

Most cases of infectious colitis will clear in about 7 days. However, in severe cases, it may take several weeks before the infection clears.

In some cases, a person can contract the infection again shortly after infection — for example, about 1 in 6 people with C. diff get it again within the following 2–8 weeks. Washing hands regularly, sanitizing surfaces, and avoiding people with the infection can help prevent a recurrence.

In addition to antibiotic treatment, in some cases, a fecal transplant may be necessary.

Below are some common questions on infectious colitis.

How serious is infectious colitis and how long does it last?

Most people start to feel better in about 7 days. In severe cases, it can take several weeks before the infection passes.

How do you get a colitis infection?

The most common form of transmission is through contaminated food or water.

What is the treatment for infectious colitis?

Treatments may involve letting the infection run its course or providing fluids and antibiotics. Some people may need fluids in a hospital setting.

What is the difference between infectious and ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It results from an abnormal immune response where the immune system attacks healthy colon tissue.

Infectious colitis results from an infectious agent that causes inflammation in the colon. It is generally self-limiting and clears within a few days.

What is the difference between infectious colitis and gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis occurs due to a viral or bacterial infection, commonly rotavirus. It is common in children. Similar to infectious colitis, it causes intestinal inflammation, but it also causes inflammation in the stomach.

Another main difference is that gastroenteritis typically does not cause bloody diarrhea.

Infectious colitis is inflammation of the intestines resulting from an underlying bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection. Bacteria are the most common cause of infectious colitis.

Generally, the condition does not require medical treatment.

Some people may contract the infection again. Regular handwashing and avoiding those with an infection can help prevent reinfection.

Infectious Colitis – What You Need to Know

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 6, 2023.

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What is infectious colitis?

Infectious colitis is swelling and irritation of your colon. It is caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses.

What are the symptoms of infectious colitis?

• Diarrhea 3 or more times in a day
• Bowel movements that contain blood or mucus
• Headache or body aches
• Low-grade fever (less than 101.0 F)
• Abdominal pain, bloating, and cramps

What increases my risk for infectious colitis?

• You live or work in a skilled nursing facility
• You work in a daycare center, or your child goes to daycare
• You do not wash your hands after using the bathroom or before handling food
• You drink contaminated water or eat contaminated food
• You have recently taken antibiotics
• You have a weak immune system

How is infectious colitis diagnosed and treated?

A sample of your bowel movement may be tested to identify the bacteria, virus, or parasite causing your symptoms. A colonoscopy is a procedure that may be done to look inside your colon. You may need to take medicine to treat the bacteria, virus, or parasite.

How can I care for myself?

• Drink liquids to help prevent dehydration. Ask your healthcare provider how much liquid to drink each day and which liquids are best for you. You may need to drink an oral rehydration solution (ORS). An ORS contains a balance of water, salt, and sugar to replace body fluids lost during diarrhea. Ask what kind of ORS to use, how much to drink, and where to get it.
• Do not take medicine to stop your diarrhea. These medicines may make your symptoms last longer.

How can I prevent infectious colitis?

• Clean food and utensils thoroughly. Rinse fruits and vegetables in running water. Clean cutting boards, knives, countertops, and other areas where you prepare food before and after you cook. Wash sponges and dishtowels weekly in hot water.
• Keep cooked and raw foods separate in your grocery cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator. This prevents cross contamination. Cross contamination is when germs from one food spread to another food. This happens when juices from raw meat, fish, and eggs get on cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Use a separate cutting board for raw foods. Never put cooked food on an unwashed plate that had raw meat, seafood, or eggs on it.
• Cook meat as directed.
  • Cook ground meat to 160°F.
  • Cook ground poultry, whole poultry, or cuts of poultry to at least 165°F. Remove the meat from heat. Let it stand for 3 minutes before you eat it.
  • Cook whole cuts of meat other than poultry to at least 145°F. Remove the meat from heat. Let it stand for 3 minutes before you eat it.
• Do not eat raw or undercooked oysters, clams, or mussels. These foods may be contaminated and cause infection.
• Refrigerate food immediately. This will help slow down the growth of germs. Your refrigerator should be at 40°F or below to keep foods safe. Put meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood in the refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours after cooking or buying them. Always thaw food in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave. Do not thaw food on your countertop.
• Drink safe water. Drink only treated water. Do not drink water from ponds or lakes, or swimming pools. Drink bottled water when traveling.

Treatment options

The following list of medications are in some way related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

• Flagyl
• metronidazole
• Vancocin
• Flagyl IV
• Flagyl 375

What can I do to prevent the spread of germs?

• Wash your hands often. Wash your hands several times each day. Wash after you use the bathroom, change a child’s diaper, and before you prepare or eat food. Use soap and water every time. Rub your soapy hands together, lacing your fingers. Wash the front and back of your hands, and in between your fingers. Use the fingers of one hand to scrub under the fingernails of the other hand. Wash for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with warm, running water for several seconds. Then dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel. Use hand sanitizer that contains alcohol if soap and water are not available. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands first.
  
• Cover a sneeze or cough. Use a tissue that covers your mouth and nose. Throw the tissue away in a trash can right away. Use the bend of your arm if a tissue is not available. Wash your hands well with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer.
• Stay away from others while you are sick. Avoid crowds as much as possible.
• Ask about vaccines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about your vaccine history. He or she will tell you which vaccines you need, and when to get them.
  • Get the influenza (flu) vaccine as soon as recommended each year. The flu vaccine is available starting in September or October. Flu viruses change, so it is important to get a flu vaccine every year.
  • Get the pneumonia vaccine if recommended. This vaccine is usually recommended every 5 years. Your provider will tell you when to get this vaccine, if needed.

When should I seek immediate care?

• You are urinating less than normal or not at all.
• You have a headache, dizziness, or confusion.
• You have irregular or fast breathing or a fast or pounding heartbeat.
• You suddenly lose weight without trying.

When should I call my doctor?

• You are more tired than usual or weak.
• Your symptoms last for more than 30 days.
• You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

© Copyright Merative 2023 Information is for End User’s use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

Learn more about Infectious Colitis

• Common Side Effects from Antibiotics, and Allergies and Reactions

Treatment options

• Medications for Infectious Gastroenteritis
• Medications for Pseudomembranous Colitis

Care guides

• Acute Diarrhea in Children
• C. Diff (Clostridioides Difficile) Infection
• Chronic Diarrhea
• Enteritis
• Gastroenteritis
• Gastroenteritis in Children
• Giardiasis

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Is colitis contagious? Symptoms, types and treatments

Is

Checked on 10/30/2020

• What is it?
  • What is colitis?
• Is it contagious?
  • Is colitis contagious?
• Symptoms and signs
  • How do you know if you have colitis?
• Transmission
  • How is colitis spread?
• Cure
  • Is there a cure for colitis?

What is colitis?

Colitis may or may not be contagious, depending on its cause.

• Colitis is a general term that can refer to inflammation of the colon; however, more recently the term colitis has come to include:
  • enteritis,
  • proctitis, and
  • inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• There are many different causes of colitis, so the best way to answer questions about colitis is to determine what type of colitis you want to know about.

This information is only an introduction and categorizes the main types of colitis that are mostly contagious or non-contagious.

Is colitis contagious?

This is a list of some conditions that are often referred to as “colitis” but have different reasons for being classified as contagious or non-contagious. Some terms referring to subgroups of colitis, like the term “colitis”, have multiple causes that lead to the condition being either contagious or non-contagious:

Types of colitis that are or are not contagious

1. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): subsets;
   • Crohn’s disease (not contagious)
   • Ulcerative colitis (not contagious)
2. Allergic colitis: not contagious
3. Ischemic colitis: not contagious
4. Immunodeficiency disorders (many types) : not infectious
5. Necrotizing enterocolitis: non-infectious
6. Microscopic colitis: non-infectious
7. Pseudomembranous colitis: infectious
8. Infectious colitis: Many types of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites ov, most of which are contagious, but some are not.
9. This is serious colitis: infectious
10. Bacterial colitis: infectious
11. Colitis indeterminate: (Unknown)

How do you know if you have colitis?

Although symptoms vary greatly depending on the type of colitis, almost every type of colitis has symptoms of abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and/or pain. Other symptoms may vary depending on the type of colitis and may include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• blood in the stool, and
• severe abdominal cramps,

People with some of these symptoms may need a healthcare professional to order tests (blood, stool, and/or imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, and possibly other tests) to diagnose a type of colitis.

If a person has diarrhea that does not go away within a few days, blood in the stool, increasing abdominal discomfort and/or pain, or the first signs of dehydration, they should seek immediate medical attention or death may result.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• low or no urine output (reduced urination),
• bloody diarrhea,
• tarry stools,
• severe abdominal pain or
• persistent nausea and vomiting.

How is colitis spread?

• Contagious types of colitis are transmitted from person to person, but non-contagious types of colitis are not.
• Infectious types of colitis are usually transmitted by direct person-to-person contact, usually through hands (fecal/oral), but others can be transmitted through contaminated food or liquids, and for some types, indirectly through contact with contaminated objects such as clothing, dishes, or toothbrushes.

Is there a cure for colitis?

Some types of colitis, such as Crohn’s disease or microscopic colitis, do not currently have a known cure. Other types of colitis, such as bacterial enteritis, can be “cured”, often with specific antibiotics.

You and your doctor should first discuss what type of colitis you have (simply saying you have colitis is not a specific enough diagnosis for a doctor), and then discuss your treatment and possible “treatment”, if any, for the particular type colitis.

Recommendations Piccoli, D., et al. ‘Colitis.’ Medscape. January 4, 2019 Medscape. .

Pseudomembranous colitis: symptoms, causes, treatment

Pseudomembranous colitis is an acute disease of the large intestine. It is provoked by certain bacteria and refers to progressive diseases. The disease can have severe forms and serious complications, so it will not work without the help of specialists.

Symptoms

In the initial stages, the symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis may not be too varied – usually it is pain in the abdomen and diarrhea. As the disease progresses, the number of symptoms increases, so the following manifests itself:

• Regular diarrhea, which exhausts the patient, greatly reduces the quality of his life.
• Discoloration of feces. They take on a green hue. Also, they often have impurities of mucus and blood.
• Increased amount of urine.
• Dehydration – against the background of persistent diarrhea.
• Increased body temperature, convulsions.
• Weakness, fatigue, headaches.
• Problems with appetite – often the patient simply cannot eat.
• Bloating, cramping pains – as a rule, they are localized in the left side.
• Rapid pulse, low blood pressure.

Obviously, such symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis are not specific – they can also occur in other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, so a comprehensive, very thorough examination will be required for an accurate diagnosis.

Risk of disease

If a person does not receive timely treatment, and signs of dehydration and intoxication increase, the complications of pseudomembranous colitis can be serious. There are recorded cases of death due to the fact that complications of such colitis can cause cardiac arrest.

Also, complications include perforation of the intestinal wall, peritonitis, renal failure and other diseases, which in themselves can also lead to death.

Causes

The main cause of pseudomembranous colitis is a violation of the intestinal microflora. And it occurs against the background of various conditions and provoking factors, for example:

• Long-term (or uncontrolled) use of certain medications. Such an effect is antibiotics, cytostatics, etc.
• Violations in the electrolyte and protein metabolism of the body.
• Malignant tumors that reduce the protective functions of the body.
• Weakened immunity after major surgery.
• Regular contact with patients who already have such colitis.

Other causes of pseudomembranous colitis are also found, if we are talking about a weakened immune system with a simultaneous violation of the intestinal microflora.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis begins with an examination of the patient and the collection of anamnesis. Depending on the complaints that the patient addresses, the examination is carried out either by a gastroenterologist or a proctologist.

Diagnosis includes taking a smear from the anus, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, endoscopy, abdominal ultrasound, CT (or MRI), radiography. All studies are not necessarily carried out at once – in some cases, diagnostic methods can be expanded or, conversely, used in a limited amount.

Also, a general blood test and feces are taken from the patient to study its composition.

Treatment

If the situation is not started, the patient is treated with conservative methods – first of all, the supply of fluid in the body is restored. Other treatments for pseudomembranous colitis include:

• Symptomatic treatment. It involves the elimination of symptoms of intoxication, the restoration of water balance, electrolyte and protein metabolism. Antidiarrheal drugs are not used because they can cause serious side effects.
• Special diet for pseudomembranous colitis. She is first healing and then supportive. For example, at the maintenance stage, it is necessary to exclude pickled, fried, smoked, fatty foods, white bread and soda. A complete list of prohibited and permitted products will be given to the patient by the doctor.
• Medicines to eliminate the cause of the disease (antibacterials).
• Correction of dysbacteriosis: administration of bacterial preparations.
• Surgical intervention. It is used in the event that serious complications have begun or conservative methods do not work. During the operation, part of the intestine can be removed, and the intestine itself can be brought into the abdominal cavity – the type of operation depends on the situation.

Checking the symptoms and treating pseudomembranous colitis is recommended to be entrusted to the specialists of JSC “Medicina” – first you need to seek advice from a gastroenterologist or proctologist. Remember that this is an extremely dangerous disease that is much easier to treat in the early stages. The longer the problem develops, the higher the risk of dangerous complications.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

• Responsible and competent use of antibiotics. This should be done only as prescribed by a doctor and in accordance with the instructions. It is extremely dangerous to prescribe such drugs to yourself.
• Use after antibiotic therapy of drugs that restore the intestinal microflora.
• Strengthening immunity on an ongoing basis – maintaining a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits.
• Personal hygiene. Including you can not use other people’s funds and personal belongings.

There is no specific prevention in this case – you just need to be responsible for your own health.

Questions and answers

How high are the recurrence risks in pseudomembranous colitis?

Quite high, since pathogenic bacteria are able to persist in the body in the form of spores for a long time.