A colitis is the inflammation of the colon. Colitis is mainly caused by infection (bacteria, viruses, parasites) or ischemia . However, in some cases, colitis may be the manifestation of Inflammatory bowel diseases.
Manifestations of colitis include abdominal pain accompanied by fever and/or diarrhea. Diagnosis is based on abdominal CT scan, as well as bacteriological examinations of the stool, in order to identify the cause of the colitis and to offer targeted antibiotherapy.
If no infectious cause is found, colonoscopy should be performed to rule out chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and colon cancer.