Do Antibiotics Treat Crohn's Disease?

CanCrohn's diseasesometimes be treated with antibiotics?

Yes, patients withCrohn's diseaseare treated with antibiotics. Only a small percentage of patients seem to benefit, however. Moreover, it is not clear if the antibiotics are working through an immune-suppressing or an anti-bacterial mechanism. (Some antibiotics are mild immune suppressants and have antiinflammation properties.) There is also the confounding roles of extra-intestinal infections (infections outside of theintestines) and bacterial overgrowth within the intestine, both of which would respond to antibiotics.

There is a continuing push of mainstream research oninflammatory bowel disease(IBD, includingCrohn's diseaseandulcerative colitis) into the role of intestinal bacteria in the initiation and perpetuation ofIBD. It's interesting research and could be important.

Jay W. Marks, M.D.
Medical and Pharmacy Editor, MedicineNet.com