Proctocolitis is a general term for
inflammation
Inflammation (from la, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants, and is a protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molec ...
of the
rectum and
colon.
Signs and symptoms
Cause
Proctocolitis has many possible causes. Common infectious causes of proctocolitis include
Chlamydia trachomatis
''Chlamydia trachomatis'' (), commonly known as chlamydia, is a bacterium that causes chlamydia, which can manifest in various ways, including: trachoma, lymphogranuloma venereum, nongonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, salpingitis, pelvic infla ...
, LGV (
Lymphogranuloma venereum
Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV; also known as climatic bubo, Durand–Nicolas–Favre disease, poradenitis inguinale, lymphogranuloma inguinale, and strumous bubo) is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the invasive serovars L1, L2, L2a, L2 ...
),
Neisseria gonorrhoeae,
HSV, and
Helicobacter
''Helicobacter'' is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria possessing a characteristic helical shape. They were initially considered to be members of the genus ''Campylobacter'', but in 1989, Goodwin ''et al.'' published sufficient reasons to justif ...
species. It can also be idiopathic (see
colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation of the large intestine ( colon). Colitis may be acute and self-limited or long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases.
In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification ...
), vascular (as in
ischemic colitis), or autoimmune (as in
inflammatory bowel disease).
Diagnosis
Anoscopy
An anoscopy is an examination using a small, rigid, tubular instrument called an anoscope (also called an anal speculum). This is inserted a few inches into the anus in order to evaluate problems of the anal canal. Anoscopy is used to diagnose h ...
can be used to diagnose the majority of cases of proctocolitis.
Treatment
Antibiotics, such as
ceftriaxone
Ceftriaxone, sold under the brand name Rocephin, is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic used for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. These include middle ear infections, endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia, bone and joint ...
and
doxycycline, if there is infection
See also
*
Colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation of the large intestine ( colon). Colitis may be acute and self-limited or long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases.
In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification ...
*
Proctitis
References
External links
Gastrointestinal tract disorders
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