Affiliation:
1. Universidade de Brasília, Brazil
Abstract
Introduction: The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is relatively complex because the symptoms are similar to those seen in several other diseases. Objective: To report a case of rectal chlamydial infection whose initial symptoms resembled ulcerative colitis. Case report: A 50-year-old male patient presented with diarrhea, blood and mucus in the stools, and an ulcer in the rectum. The histopathological exam pointed to chronic, unspecified inflammation. After a broad serological screening, with Immunoglobulin M positive for Chlamydia and a high titer of immunoglobulin G, the patient was treated with antibiotics and is clinically cured. Later, he remained Immunoglobulin M positive, but the titers of immunoglobulin G lowered considerably. Chlamydia has been shown to live in the gut microbiota, which could explain the case. Conclusion: It is important to search for chlamydial infection as a differential diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.
Publisher
Zeppelini Editorial e Comunicacao
Reference19 articles.
1. Maranhão D, Vieira A, Campos T. Características e diagnóstico diferencial das doenças inflamatórias intestinais. J Bras Med. 2015;103(1):9-15.
2. Tontini GE, Vecchi M, Pastorelli L, Neurath MF, Neumann H. Differential diagnosis in inflammatory bowel disease colitis: state of the art and future perspectives. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(1):21-46. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v21.i1.21
3. Brasil. Protocolo clínico e diretrizes terapêuticas da retocolite ulcerativa. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde – Conitec; 2020. 64p.
4. World Health Organization. Guidelines for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis. Geneva: WHO; 2016. 54p.
5. Hocking JS, Kong FY, Timms P, Huston WM, Tabrizi SN. Treatment of rectal chlamydia infection may be more complicated than we originally thought. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(4):961-4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dku493