Viral Diarrhea Induces Ischemic Colitis

Ischemic colitis is a popular diagnosis suggesting sudden hypo-perfusion of the colon. Pathophysiology of this illness has not been resolved clearly. Most of ischemic colitis is a one time disease and do not need specific treatment and recover self-limitedly under only bowel rest. Ischemic colitis sometimes exist with viral infection, this therefore necessitated the need to analyze the relationship between ischemic colitis and viral infection in this study. A consecutive two hundred and fifty-six (256) acute gastroenteritis cases were recruited and pathogen examined for both the virus and bacteria. All of these cases were sporadic. Viral check was carried out by the commercialized kit and PCR. Colonoscopy was performed as soon as possible to get information about changes occurring in the large intestine. Among the 256 cases, 84 cases had viral infection (Norovirus, Adenovirus, Rotavirus and Astrovirus) and 26 cases bacterial infection. Bloody diarrhea occurred in 89 and ischemic colitis was diagnosed in 42 cases. Pathogen examination revealed significant increase of viral infection (66.7%) among ischemic colitis, comparing with non-infection (26.8%) and bacterial infection (31.3%). According to our result, not only Norovirus but other viral infection possibly induced ischemic colitis. When ischemic colitis is diagnosed together with some viral infection, we can observe patients without excessive examination. This study suggests enteric viral infection could be related as triggers of ischemic colitis. This thus led us to consider an alternative route to quietly unknown ischemic colitis. Word count of enteric virus is 247 and as such it is important to check enteric virus in the so-called ischemic colitis.