................................................................................................. 7 LIST OF ORIGINAL PUBLICATIONS...................................................... 9 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 10 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ............................................................ 11 Definition and clin...

Fulminant colitis can be a sequelae of a number of conditions like Salmonellae, Shigella, E. Coli, Yersinia and other bacterial infections. Antibiotic associated pseudomembranous colitis is caused by clostridiuin difficle and can range from mild diarrhoea to fulminant colitis. Furthermore, chronic conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease can cause acute symptoms. Non-specific coli...

The morphology of antibiotic-associated enterocolitis in the hamster is described and compared with human antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis. It is shown to be a caecal disease with proliferative mucosal changes and in this respect unlike the human counterpart. The bacteriology and toxicology, however, are identical. In addition, mucosal changes are described in animals on antibioti...

Pseudomembranous necrotizing tracheitis is a rare cause of life-threatening central airway obstruction. Patients present with hoarseness, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, stridor, and occasionally with respiratory failure. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, and should be confirmed with a comprehensive bronchoscopy and biopsy. For patients with signs and symptoms of airway obstruction, a the...

Clostridium difficile is associated with a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic carriage to severe life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis. Current perspectives indicate that C difficile pathogenesis is a multifactorial disease process dictated by pathogenic toxin production, gut microbial dysbiosis, and altered host inflammatory responses. This article summarizes rec...