Post-infectious Irritable bowel syndrome

Many animal and human studies have shown the presence of increased infiltration of inflammatory cells and hyperplasia of enterochromaffin cells in the intestinal mucosa after acute gastroenteritis. The relationship between infectious enteritis and the development of IBS has been suspected clinically for many years. However, it was not until the late 1990s that epidemiologic studies provided evidence for this relationship. The first studies supporting this link had considerable weaknesses and therefore showed variable results. Even today knowledge about the incidence and prevalence of post-infectious IBS in the general population is limited. Some of the published epidemiological studies lack an appropriate control population, and were limited by a short follow-up symptom assessment post-infection.