Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a common inflammatory disease of the colon characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the large bowel and rectum. The condition impairs the ability of the large bowel to absorb water which results in diarrhea, the main symptom of the condition.

Ulcerative colitis is a relapsing and remitting condition, meaning symptoms can die down for long periods but then flare-up from time to time. These flare-ups can be sudden and severe. During a period of relapse, symptoms may include bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and a sudden urge to defecate. Other symptoms include wind, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever and fatigue.

Currently, there is no cure for the condition apart from surgery. However, certain treatments such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressants may be used to ease symptoms by reducing inflammation. Surgery for severe ulcerative colitis that does not respond to treatment involves completely removing the large bowel and re-routing the small bowel so that waste can still be expelled. This procedure is called a colectomy.

In the UK, the incidence of ulcerative colitis is around 1 in 500 and the condition is equally common among males and females. Symptoms can develop at any age, but onset usually occurs between 15 and 30 years of age.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that affects the large intestines, particularly the colon. It is classified as one of the two inflammatory bowel diseases along with Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative Colitis Causes

Ulcerative Colitis Epidemiology

Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis

Ulcerative Colitis Research

Latest Ulcerative Colitis News and Research

Healthy plant-based diet linked with reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease

A large prospective study published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research reveals that a healthy plant-based diet is linked with a reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

9 Jul 2025

New insights into programmed cell death could offer relief for inflammatory bowel disease

New basic science insights into programmed cell death could offer relief for inflammatory bowel disease.

26 Jun 2025

Scientists warn of rising threat as poultry disease shows signs of jumping to humans

Avian Intestinal Spirochaetosis (AIS) is a chronic, underreported poultry disease caused by Brachyspira spp., with rising concern over its zoonotic risk to humans. This review highlights key challenges in diagnosis, antibiotic resistance, transmission, and the urgent need for improved surveillance and new prevention strategies.

23 Jun 2025

Understanding the interconnected roles of microbial, metabolic, and immune biomarkers in IBD

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), encompassing ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract with a rising global burden.

19 Jun 2025

Compound-level diet analysis sheds light on hidden triggers in IBD

Dutch researchers identified specific food compounds that influence remission and flare risk in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The study shows compound-level dietary analysis could help personalize IBD management and clarify conflicting advice about diet.

18 Jun 2025

Bringing microbiome science into everyday clinical care

The article summarizes results of research and possible future clinical applications of the microbiome and provides instructions for doctors.

13 Jun 2025

Unexpected protein production in immune cells may fuel gut inflammation

Scientists have discovered that certain immune cells — called neutrophils — can start making a protein called DUOX2 that they usually do not produce.

11 Jun 2025

Genetic mutation tied to Crohn's disease can worsen iron deficiency and anemia

A study led by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine shows how a genetic mutation associated with Crohn's disease can worsen iron deficiency and anemia - one of the most common complications experienced by patients with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.

6 Jun 2025

ADHD linked to higher risk of irritable bowel syndrome, global study reveals

A global meta-analysis found that people with ADHD are significantly more likely to have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while the overall risk for other intestinal disorders is not increased. The findings highlight the importance of gut-brain interactions in ADHD and call for further research on microbiome-based therapies.

3 Jun 2025

Upper gastrointestinal involvement is common in Egyptian patients with ulcerative colitis

This study investigates upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), a condition traditionally considered limited to the colon.

30 May 2025

Global study maps the spread of IBD in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, has long been considered a modern condition of the industrialized West, with cases steadily increasing in North America and Europe throughout the 20th century.

28 May 2025

Mediterranean plant may be an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis, rat study shows

New research in rats indicates that a Mediterranean plant may be an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease.

21 May 2025

This news might ruin your appetite — and summer

It's a marvel of food technology: ice cream that resists melting.

20 May 2025

Scientists build world's most accessible gut bacteria collection to unlock health and disease clues

Researchers have developed the Human Intestinal Bacteria Collection (HiBC), comprising 340 gut bacterial strains from 198 species, including 29 newly described taxa, made publicly available for functional microbiome research.

7 May 2025

Cardiovascular mortality higher in women with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus

Women with the autoimmune diseases rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis may have a higher rate of death related to cardiovascular disease than men with the autoimmune diseases, according to new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

6 May 2025

GLP-1 agonists may reshape the gut microbiome

Research reveals GLP-1 receptor agonists influence gut microbiome, enhancing metabolic health and offering anti-inflammatory benefits for diabetes management.

11 Apr 2025

Study reveals disparities in healthcare utilization among racial and ethnic groups with IBD

A study published today in the American Journal of Gastroenterology reveals significant disparities in healthcare utilization among racial and ethnic groups with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the United States.

1 Apr 2025

Machine learning identifies key comorbidities predicting premature death in IBD patients

Researchers use machine learning models to investigate patterns between multimorbidity and premature deaths among decedents with irritable bowel disease.

28 Mar 2025

Epstein-Barr virus triggers inflammatory cell death in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing disease that causes painful inflammation and ulcers in the colon.

24 Mar 2025

Machine learning helps predict early mortality in IBD patients

Almost half of people who died with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) died prematurely, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241117 that used machine learning models to predict death.

24 Mar 2025