Risk for IBD Is Higher After Gastrointestinal Infection

The cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is thought to be multifactorial. Prior history of gastrointestinal infection has been associated with the development of irritable bowel syndrome, but data on its association with IBD are conflicting.

In a recent nationwide, population-based, case-control study in Sweden, researchers found that when compared with healthy controls, people with IBD had a 60% higher risk for having a gastrointestinal infection prior to their diagnosis. After adjustment for concomitant autoimmune disease and other possible confounders, bacterial infection led to the highest risk (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0), particularly in Crohn disease, but an infection with a parasite or virus was still associated with an increased …