[Characteristics and differential diagnosis of intestinal flora in Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the characteristics of intestinal flora in Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITb), and to find potential identification features to differentiate these 2 diseases.


METHODS
Fifteen CD patients, 23 ITb patients, and 21 healthy volunteers (controls) were enrolled from June 2007 to November 2009. Selective culturing was used for the enumeration of bacteria count.


RESULTS
The intestinal flora was mainly composed of Bifidobacteria, Bacteroids, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus both in CD and ITb patients. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria decreased obviously but Bacteroid increased in CD patients compared with the control (P<0.01). Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria and Escherichia coli decreased obviously (P<0.05), but Bacteroid increased in ITb patients compared with the control (P<0.01). Bacteroid increased in ITb patients compared with CD patients (P<0.05). No difference in Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomycete was found among the 3 groups (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal flora disorder occurred in either CD or ITb patients. The alteration of Bacteroid and Escherichia coli can help differentiate the 2 diseases.
Department of Gastroenterology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Xiaowei
X
Liu
Yi
Y
Cui
Chunhui
C
Ouyang
Xuefeng
X
Li
Fanggen
F
Lu
Xiaoping
X
Wu
D000328:Adult; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*