Bacteria: a new player in gastrointestinal motility disorders--infections, bacterial overgrowth, and probiotics. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may result from a dysfunctional interaction between the indigenous flora and the intestinal mucosa, which in turn leads to immune activation in the colonic mucosa. Some propose that bacterial overgrowth is a common causative factor in the pathogenesis of symptoms in IBS; others point to evidence suggesting that the cause stems from more subtle qualitative changes in the colonic flora. Bacterial overgrowth will probably prove not to be a major factor in what will eventually be defined as IBS. Nevertheless, short-term therapy with either antibiotics or probiotics seems to reduce symptoms among IBS patients. However, in the long term, safety issues will favor the probiotic approach; results of long-term studies with these agents are eagerly awaited.

publication date

  • September 1, 2007

Research

keywords

  • Bacteria
  • Bacterial Infections
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases
  • Gastrointestinal Tract
  • Probiotics

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 35348846734

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.gtc.2007.07.012

PubMed ID

  • 17950446

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 36

issue

  • 3