title: The incidence of irritable bowel syndrome among community subjects with previous acute enteric infection.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among community subjects with positive stool studies. This was a prospective cohort study whereby all individuals with stool-positive acute enteric infection (AEI) were recruited from 3 health regions in Ontario, Canada. Each person completed questionnaires regarding preinfectious bowel habit and their bowel habit 3 months postinfection. Manning and Rome I criteria were used to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome. Two hundred thirty-one patients participated. Forty had preexisting IBS and were excluded. Of the remaining 191 patients, 7 developed irritable bowel syndrome, for an incidence of 3.7% (95% confidence interval: 1.0-6.3%). Fever during AEI was the only identifiable risk factor for developing postinfectious IBS (odds ratio, 11.96; P = .02). The incidence of postinfectious IBS in community subjects is 3.7%. Fever during the AEI may be an important risk factor for this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. markb@mun.ca
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Borgaonkar
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Churchill
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003672:Defecation; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires