Stomach bugs boosts risk for IBD

A bout of diarrheal disease caused by the stomach bugs Salmonella or Campylobacter increases the odds that a person will develop inflammatory bowel disease, with the risk persisting 15 years or more after infection, researchers report in the latest issue of the journal Gastroenterology.

Nielsen and colleagues compared the risks of IBD between 13,148 patients with documented gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella or Campylobacter and 26,216 uninfected controls.

After accounting for a variety of factors that might influence the risk, stomach bug patients had nearly a threefold increased risk of developing IBD over the entire study period, and nearly a twofold increased risk in the first year after infection.

The increased risk of IBD after the gastroenteritis episode persisted throughout the 15-year observation period and was similar for Salmonella and Campylobacter and for a first-time diagnosis of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Steve - this is another reason to supplement with probiotics. You are giving yourself more ammunition to battle pathogens.