Is the dendritic cell a missing piece in the pathogenesis model of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome?

摘要

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common cause of abdominal pain and disturbed bowel function with unknown etiology. Recent estimates suggest a worldwide prevalence of 7-10%, accounting for up to 40% of gastroenterology outpatients. In industrialized countries, IBS has been identified as a cause of work absenteeism and consumption of healthcare resources.Post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS) is a subgroup of IBS in which patients complain of persistent abdominal discomfort, bloating, and diarrhea after infectious enteritis, despite the clearance of pathogens. An association between IBS and infectious enteritis was first proposed in 1950.4 It is reported that 6-17% of patients with IBS believe their symptoms began with an infective illness.5 Various bacterial pathogens including Campylobacter, Shigella, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli have been associated with PI-IBS, although it remains unclear whether all these pathogens convey an equivalent risk.