ABSTRACT
The colon is a frequent target organ for enteric infections. Patients with infectious colitis may present with a broad spectrum of illnesses ranging from an essentially asymptomatic state of mild, self-limited diarrhea, to fulminant toxic colitis requiring aggressive resuscitation and surgical management. Early recognition of the signs and symptoms of infectious colitis and the expeditious identification of the pathogens allow for appropriate and prompt treatment. The focus of this chapter is on the clinical presentation, distinguishing features, and treatment of the commonly encountered etiologies of infectious colitis. Multiple organisms are associated with infectious colitis, and in this chapter they will be grouped into bacterial, parasitic, fungal, and viral agents. A summary of the presentations, endoscopic findings, diagnostic strategies, and therapies for the described infectious colitides can be found in Table 1.
