Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Colonize Pouches Formed for Ulcerative Colitis but Not for Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis remains the “gold standard” in surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. Pouchitis occurs mainly in patients with a background of ulcerative colitis, although the reasons for this are unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize differences in pouch bacterial populations between ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous pouches. METHODS: After ethical approval was obtained, fresh stool samples were collected from patients with ulcerative colitis pouches (n = 10), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 7) pouches, and ulcerative colitis ileostomies (n = 8). Quantitative measurements of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were performed. RESULTS: Sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from 80 percent (n = 8) of ulcerative colitis pouches. Sulfate-reducing bacteria were absent from familial adenomatous polyposis pouches and also from ulcerative colitis ileostomy effluent. Pouch Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides sp, and Clostridium perfringens counts were increased relative to ileostomy counts in patients with ulcerative colitis. Total pouch enterococci and coliform counts were also increased relative to ileostomy levels. There were no significant quantitative or qualitative differences between pouch types when these bacteria were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Sulfate-reducing bacteria are exclusive to patients with a background of ulcerative colitis. Not all ulcerative colitis pouches harbor sulfate-reducing bacteria because two ulcerative colitis pouches in this study were free of the latter. They are not present in familial adenomatous polyposis pouches or in ileostomy effluent collected from patients with ulcerative colitis. Total bacterial counts increase in ulcerative colitis pouches after stoma closure. Levels of Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides sp, Clostridium perfringens, enterococci, and coliforms were similar in both pouch groups. Because sulfate-reducing bacteria are specific to ulcerative colitis pouches, they may play a role in the pathogenesis of pouchitis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S Korgsen MR Keighley (1999) ArticleTitleA comparison of function and patient satisfaction after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis (UC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Colorectal Dis 15 272–276

    Google Scholar 

  2. IR Daniels J Benyon ND Carr (1999) ArticleTitleAn audit of quality of life and functional outcome following restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch surgery in familial adenomatous polyposis coli. Colorectal Dis 15 292–296

    Google Scholar 

  3. KA Kelly (1992) ArticleTitleAnal sphincter-sparing operations for chronic ulcerative colitis. Am J Surg 163 5–11

    Google Scholar 

  4. VW Fazio Y Ziv JM Church (1995) ArticleTitleIleal pouch-anal anastomosis: Ann Surg 222 120–127

    Google Scholar 

  5. AP Meagher R Farouk RR Dozois KA Kelly JH Pemberton (1999) ArticleTitleJ-Ileal pouch anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis: Br J Surg 85 800–803

    Google Scholar 

  6. JL Lohmuller JH Pemberton RR Dozois D Ilstrup J van Heerden (1990) ArticleTitlePouchitis and extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Ann Surg 211 622–629

    Google Scholar 

  7. RJ Nicholls P Belliveau M Neill M Wilks S Tabaqchali (1981) ArticleTitleRestorative proctocolectomy with ileal reservoir: Gut 22 462–468

    Google Scholar 

  8. B Philipson A Brandberg R Jagenburg et al. (1975) ArticleTitleMucosal morphology, bacteriology and absorption in intraabdominal ileostomy reservoir. Scan J Gastroenterol 10 145–153

    Google Scholar 

  9. HJ De Silva PR Millard N Soper M Kettlewell N Mortensen DP Jewell (1991) ArticleTitleEffects of fecal stream and stasis on ileal pouch mucosa. Gut 32 1166–1169

    Google Scholar 

  10. RL Moskowitz NA Shephard RJ Nicholls (1986) ArticleTitleAn assessment of inflammation in the reservoir after restorative proctocolectomy with ileoanal reservoir. Int J Colorectal Dis 1 167–174

    Google Scholar 

  11. DG Nasmyth PG Godwin MF Dixon NS Williams D Johnston (1989) ArticleTitleIleal ecology after pouch-anal anastomosis or ileostomy. Gastroenterology 96 814–824

    Google Scholar 

  13. M Pitcher E Beatty GR Gibson et al. (1995) ArticleTitleSulphate-reducing bacteria: Gut 36 63–824

    Google Scholar 

  14. T Florin GR Gibson G Neale et al. (1990) ArticleTitleA role for sulphate reducing bacteria in ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology 98 5–9

    Google Scholar 

  15. GR Gibson J Cummings G Macfarlane (1991) ArticleTitleGrowth and activity of sulphate reducing bacteria in gut contents of healthy subjects and patients with ulcerative colitis. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 86 103–111

    Google Scholar 

  16. J Levine CJ Ellis JK Furne et al. (1998) ArticleTitleFecal hydrogen sulfide production in ulcerative colitis. Am J Gastroenterol 93 83–87

    Google Scholar 

  18. A Teske C Wawer G Muyzer NB Ramsing (1996) ArticleTitleDistribution of sulphate-reducing bacteria in a stratified fjord as evaluated by most-probable-number counts and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR-amplified ribosomal DNA fragments. Appl Environ Microbiol 62 1405–1415

    Google Scholar 

  19. KE Levin JH Pemberton SF Phillips AR Zinmeister AE Pezim (1992) ArticleTitleRole of oxygen free radicals in the etiology of pouchitis. Dis Colon Rectum 35 452–456

    Google Scholar 

  20. WJ Sandborn WJ Tremaine KP Batts et al. (1995) ArticleTitleFecal bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, and bacteria after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis do not differ in patients with pouchitis. Dig Dis Sci 40 1474–1483

    Google Scholar 

  21. N Shephard L Hulten GN Tygat et al. (1989) ArticleTitlePouchitis. Int J Colorectal Dis 4 204–229

    Google Scholar 

  22. MR Clausen M Tvede N Mortensen (1992) ArticleTitleShort chain fatty acids in pouch contents in patients with and without pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Gastroenterology 103 1144–1153

    Google Scholar 

  23. LF McKay MA Eastwood WG Brydon (1985) ArticleTitleMethane excretion in man: Gut 26 69–74

    Google Scholar 

  24. Y Peled D Weinberg A Hallak et al. (1987) ArticleTitleFactors affecting methane production in humans: Dig Dis Sci 32 267–271

    Google Scholar 

  25. T Ishioka N Kuwabara Y Ohashi K Wakabayashi (1986) ArticleTitleInduction of colorectal tumours in rats by sulphated polysaccharides. Rev Toxicol 17 215–224

    Google Scholar 

  26. T Ohkhusa (1985) ArticleTitleProduction of experimental ulcerative colitis in hamsters by dextran sodium sulphate and changes in intestinal microflora. Jap J Gastroenterol 82 1327–1336

    Google Scholar 

  27. M Aslam J Batten T Florin et al. (1992) ArticleTitleHydrogen sulphide induced damage to the colonic mucosal barrier in the rat. Gut 33 69–1336

    Google Scholar 

  28. T Florin G Neale GR Gibson SL Christl JH Cummings (1991) ArticleTitleMetabolism of dietary sulphate: Gut 32 766–773

    Google Scholar 

  29. WA Kmiot D Youngs R Tudor H Thompson MR Keighley (1993) ArticleTitleMucosal morphology, cellular proliferation and fecal bacteriology in acute pouchitis. Br J Surg 80 1445–1449

    Google Scholar 

  30. A Corfield B Warren D Bartolo SA Wagner JR Clamp (1992) ArticleTitleMucin changes in ileoanal pouches monitored by metabolic labelling and histochemistry. Br J Surg 79 1209–1203

    Google Scholar 

  31. M Filipe (1979) ArticleTitleMucin in human gastrointestinal epithelium: Invest Cell Pathol 2 195–216

    Google Scholar 

  32. JC Coffey MW Bennett JH Wang et al. (2001) ArticleTitleUpregulation of Fas-Fas-L (CD95/CD95L) mediated epithelial apoptosis: J Surg Res 98 27–32

    Google Scholar 

  34. F Shanahan (2000) ArticleTitleProbiotics and inflammatory bowel disease: Inflam Bowel Dis 6 107–115

    Google Scholar 

  35. DF Newton JH Cummings S MacFarlane GT MacFarlane (1998) ArticleTitleGrowth of a human intestinal Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in continuous cultures containing defined populations of saccharolytic and amino acid fermenting bacteria. J Appl Microbiol 85 372–380

    Google Scholar 

  36. P Gionchetti F Rizzello A Venturi P Brigidi et al. (2000) ArticleTitleOral bacteriotherapy as maintenance treatment in patients with chronic pouchitis: Gastroenterology 119 305–309

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland

    M. Duffy Ph.D., L. O’Mahony Ph.D., J. C. Coffey A.F.R.C.S.I., J. K. Collins Ph.D., F. Shanahan F.R.C.P.I., H. P. Redmond F.R.C.S.I. & W. O. Kirwan F.R.C.S.I.

Authors
  1. M. Duffy Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. O’Mahony Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. C. Coffey A.F.R.C.S.I.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. K. Collins Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Shanahan F.R.C.P.I.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. H. P. Redmond F.R.C.S.I.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. W. O. Kirwan F.R.C.S.I.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Duffy, M., O’Mahony, L., Coffey, J.C. et al. Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Colonize Pouches Formed for Ulcerative Colitis but Not for Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Dis Colon Rectum 45, 384–388 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-6187-z

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-6187-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation