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enterocolitis (en″tәr-o-ko-li´tis) inflammation of the small intestine and colon. antibiotic-associated enterocolitis
a type associated with antibiotic therapy, most commonly with lincomycin or clindamycin, but also with other broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as ampicillin and tetracycline. It can range from mild nonspecific colitis and diarrhea to severe fulminant pseudomembranous enterocolitis with profuse watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. The inflammation may be caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium difficile, a microorganism that is normally present in the resident bowel flora of infants, but is rarely found in adults. Presumably,
the disruption of the normal flora allows the growth of C. difficile. Called also antibiotic-associated colitis. hemorrhagic enterocolitis
enterocolitis characterized by hemorrhagic breakdown of the intestinal mucosa, with inflammatory cell infiltration. pseudomembranous enterocolitis
a severe acute inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, with formation of pseudomembranous plaques; it is usually associated
with antimicrobial therapy (antibiotic-associated enterocolitis). The common symptoms are watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. The pathologic lesions are yellow-green pseudomembranous
plaques of mucinous inflammatory exudate distributed in patches over the colonic mucosa and sometimes also in the small intestine.
Called also pseudomembranous colitis.
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