Crypt abscess-associated microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease and acute self-limited colitis

World J Gastroenterol. 2010 Feb 7;16(5):583-7. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i5.583.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate whether crypt abscesses from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients contain bacteria and to establish their nature.

Methods: We studied 17 ulcerative colitis patients, 11 Crohn's disease patients, 7 patients with acute self-limited colitis (ASLC) and normal colonic biopsies from 5 subjects who underwent colonoscopy for colon cancer screening. A fluorescent in situ hybridization technique was applied to colonic biopsies to assess the microbiota composition of the crypts and crypt abscesses.

Results: Crypts colonized by bacteria were observed in 42.9% and 3.6% of ASLC and IBD patients, respectively (P = 0.019). Crypt abscesses colonized by bacteria were observed in 28.6% and 0.0% of ASLC and IBD patients, respectively (P = 0.035).

Conclusion: These results do not support the hypothesis that crypt abscesses in IBD are the result of localized dysbiosis arising from persistence of living bacteria colonizing the crypts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abscess / microbiology*
  • Abscess / pathology
  • Adult
  • Colitis* / microbiology
  • Colitis* / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colonoscopy
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* / microbiology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* / pathology
  • Intestinal Mucosa* / anatomy & histology
  • Intestinal Mucosa* / microbiology
  • Intestinal Mucosa* / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged