Antimycobacterial chemotherapy in inflammatory bowel disease.
We report on a case, ulcerative colitis and another of Crohn's disease. During a relapse which was unresponsive to conventional therapy, acid-fast bacilli were found in colonic biopsies. Conventional therapy was substituted with antimycobacterial chemotherapy (rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol) which was responsible for a marked improvement. However, a relapse occurred during chemotherapy and no acid-fast bacilli were found. The patients became responsive to sulphasalazine and corticosteroid therapy once again. It appears that Mycobacteria play a collateral role in inflammatory bowel disease and that once they have been eliminated the original disease re-emerges.
Picciotto
A
A
Cattedra di Gastroenterologia Università di Genova, Italy.
Gesu
G P
GP
Schito
G C
GC
Testa
R
R
Varagona
G
G
Celle
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D004977:Ethambutol; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin