Inflammatory Bowel Disease (cont.)
Medical Author:
William A Rowe, MD
Coauthor:
Shehnaz Shaikh, MD
Medical Editor:
Jonathan Adler, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
BS Anand, MD
IN THIS ARTICLE
Inflammatory Bowel Disease CausesResearchers do not yet know what causes inflammatory bowel disease. Therefore, IBD is called an idiopathic disease (disease with an unknown cause). An unknown factor/agent (or a combination of factors) triggers the body’s immune system to produce an inflammatory reaction in the intestinal tract that continues without control. As a result of the inflammatory reaction, the intestinal wall is damaged leading to bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. Genetic, infectious, immunologic, and psychological factors have all been implicated in influencing the development of IBD. There is a genetic predisposition (or perhaps susceptibility) to the development of IBD. However, the triggering factor for activation of the body’s immune system has yet to be identified. Factors that can turn on the body’s immune system include an infectious agent (as yet unidentified), an immune response to an antigen (eg, protein from cow milk), or an autoimmune process. As the intestines are always exposed to things that can cause immune reactions, more recent thinking is that there is a failure of the body to turn off normal immune responses. Viewer Comments & ReviewsInflammatory Bowel Disease: Intestinal Problems - Describe Your ExperienceThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:Please describe the inflammatory bowel disease you suffer from. Inflammatory Bowel Disease - SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What were the symptoms of your inflammatory bowel disease? |
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease »
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic disease, probably involving an immune reaction of the body to its own intestinal tract.
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