ABSTRACT
The causative role of H. pylori in “peptic” ulcer causation was viewed with scepticism by most gastroenterologists until it could be shown that eradication of the bacterium led to cure of the condition. We now have a similar situation in infl ammatory bowel disease-we have evidence of intriguing changes in the faecal and mucosal microbiota in both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis-particularly the former-but until we can show that treatments which target these changes improve the patient’s condition, many will think that the altered microbiota just refl ects changes that are secondary to infl ammation. In this chapter we review the results of attempts to treat infl ammatory bowel disease by targeting the microbiota as well as discussing appropriate strategies that might be followed.
