Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 1990 pp 35–43Cite as

Are Mycobacteria the Cause of Crohn’s Disease?

  • Chapter

  • 52 Accesses

Part of the book series: Developments in Gastroenterology ((DIGA,volume 11))

Abstract

The cause of Crohn’s disease (CD) has remained an enigma for many years. However, in 1913 Dalziel proposed a mycobacterial origin for CD, comparing its1 likeness to Johne’s disease—an ileocolonic inflammation of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Recently very slow growing, fastidious mycobacteria have been isolated from CD cases in various parts of the world. These isolates were found identical to one another and to M. paratuberculosis by random gene sequencing and restriction polymorphism of the ribosomal 5S gene. Immunologic studies and specific stains, to show the organism in infected tissues, have not been helpful. Preliminary studies with antimycobacterial antibiotics are encouraging, however. Although further studies need to be performed, atypical mycobacteria still remain a potential pathogenic organism for CD.

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

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abrams, J, and Holden, W. (1964) ‘Tuberculosis of the gastrointestinal tract’. Archives of Surgery 89, 282–293.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Allan, R.N., Pease, P. and Ibbotson, J.P. (1986) ‘Clustering of Crohn’s disease in a Cotswold village’. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 59, 473–478.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Beaman, B.L. and Scates, S.M. (1981) ‘Role of L-forms of Nocardia caviae in the development of chronic mycetomas in normal and immunodeficient murine models’. Infection and Immunity 33, 893–907.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bennett, R., Rubin, P. and Present, D. (1988) ‘Inflammatory bowel disease in husbands and wives. Frequency of IBD in 35 offspring of 19 couples’. Gastroenterology 94, A611.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Binder, H., Spiro, H. and Thayer, W.R. (1966) ‘Delayed hypersensitivity in regional enteritis and ulcerative colitis’. American Journal of Digestive Diseases 11, 572–574.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bird, A. and Britton, S. (1974) ‘No evidence for decreased lymphocyte reactivity in Crohn’s disease’. Gastroenterology 67, 926–932.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Burnham, W.R., Lennard-Jones, J.E., Stanford, J.L. and Bird, R.G. (1978) ‘Mycobacteria as a possible cause of inflammatory bowel disease’. Lancet 2, 693–696.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Chiodini, R.J. (1989) ‘Crohn’s disease and the mycobacterioses. A review and comparison of two disease entities’. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 2, 90–117.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Chiodini, R.J. (1988) ‘Identification of mycobacteria from Crohn’s disease by restriction polymorphism of the 5S ribosomal DNA genes’. In R.P. MacDermott (ed.), Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Current Status and Future Approach, Elsevier Science, New York, pp. 509–514.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Chiodini, R.J. VanKruiningen, H.J. and Merkal, R. (1984) ‘Ruminant paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease): the current status and future prospects’. Cornell Veterinarian 74, 218–262.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chiodini, R.J., VanKruiningen, H.J., Merkal, R, Thayer, W.R. and Coutu, J.A. (1984) ‘Characteristics of an unclassified Mycobacterium species isolated from patients with Crohn’s disease’. J. Clinical Microbiology 20, 966–971.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chiodini, R.J., VanKruiningen, H.J., Thayer, W.R. and Coutu, J.A. (1986) ‘Spheroplastic phase of mycobacteria isolated from patients with Crohn’s disease’. J. Clinical Microbiology 24, 357–363.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chiodini, R.J., VanKruiningen, H.J., Thayer, W.R., Merkal, R.S. and Coutu, J. (1984) ‘Possible role of mycobacteria in in inflammatory bowel disease. I. An unclassified Mycobacterium species isolated from patients with Crohn’s disease’. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 29, 1073–1079.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cho, S.N., Brennan, P.J., Yoshimura, H.H., Korelitz, B.I. and Graham, D.Y. (1986) Mycobacterial aetiology of Crohn’s disease: serologic study using common mycobacterial antigens and a species-specific glycolipid antigen from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis’. Gut 27, 1353–1356

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Cho, S.N., Fujiwara, T., Hunter, S., Rea, T., Gelber, R. and Brennan, P.J. (1984) ‘Use of an artificial antigen containing the 3,6-di-0-methyl-beta-D-glycopyranosyl epitope for the serodiagnosis of leprosy’. J. Infectious Diseases 150, 311–322.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Colement, L., Pattyn, S. and Michielsen, P. (1988) ‘Acid-fast bacilli in Crohn’s disease’. Lancet 1, 294–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Coloe, P., Wilke, C, Lightfoot, D. and Tosolini, F. (1986) ‘Isolation of a Mycobacterium species resembling M. para-tuberculosis from the bowel dissue of a patient with Crohn’s disease. Australian J. Microbiology 7, 188.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Crohn, B., Ginzburg, L. and Oppenheimer, G. (1932) ‘Regional enteritis—a pathologic and clinical entity. J. American Medical Association 99, 1323–1329.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Dalziel, T.K. (1913) ‘Chronic intestinal enteritis’. British Medical Journal 2, 1068–1070.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Das, P. and Shukla, H. (1975) ‘Abdominal tuberculosis demonstration of tubercle bacilli in tissues and experimental production of hyperplastic enteric lesions. British J. Surgery 62, 610–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Elliott, P., Burnham, W., Berghouse, L., Lennard-Jones, J. and Langman, M. (1982) ‘Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine therapy in Crohn’s disease. Digestion 23, 132–134.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Elliott, P., Lennard-Jones, J., Burnham, J., White, S. and Stanford, J. (1980) ‘Further testing with mycobacterial antigens in inflammatory bowel disease’. Lancet 2, 483–484.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Fletcher, J. and Hinton, J. (1967) ‘Tuberculin sensitivity in Crohn’s disease. A controlled study’. Lancet 2, 753–754.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Gitnick G., Collins, J., Beaman, B., Brooks, D., Arthur, M., Imaeda, T. and Palieschesky, M. (1989) ‘Preliminary report on isolation of mycobacteria from patients with Crohn’s disease’. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 34, 925–932.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Graham, D.Y., Markesich, D.C. and Yoshimura, H.H. (1987) ‘Mycobacteria and inflammatory bowel disease. Results of culture’. Gastroenterology 92, 436–442.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Grange, J.M., Gibson, J., Nassau, E, and Kardjito, T. (1980) ‘Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): a study of antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the IgG, IgA, and IgM classes in tuberculosis, sarcoidosis and Crohn’s dsease’. Tubercle 61, 145–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Haga, Y. (1986) ‘Mycobacteria in Crohn’s disease’. Japanese J of Gastroenterology 93, 2325–2333.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Haga, Y, Funakoshi, I., Nakajima, H., Sano, M., Murata, A., Munakata, A. and Kuroe, K. (1986) ‘Antibodies to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in sera of patients with Crohn’s disease’. Digestive Organ and Immunology (Japan) 17, 100–103.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hampson, S., Parker, M., Saverymutter, S., McFadden, J. and Hermon-Taylor, J. (1988) ‘Results of quadruple antimyco-bacterial chemotherapy in 17 Crohn’s disease patients completing six months treatment’. Gastroenterology 94, 170.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hawley, P.R. (1975) ‘Experimental intestinal granulomas’. Proc. Royal Society of Medicine 68, 34.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Howell-Jones, J. and Lennard-Jones, J. (1966) ‘Corticosteroids and corticotrophin in the treatment of Crohn’s disease’. Gut 7, 181–187,.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Jiwa, N., Mulder, C., and van den Berg, F. (1989) ‘Elevated IgG serum levels to mycobacterial PPD in Crohn’s disease’. Netherland J. Medicine 32, (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Johnson, L., Wirostko, E. and Wirostko, W. (1989) ‘Crohn’s disease uveitis. Parasitization of vitreous leukocytes by mollicute-like organisms’. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 91, 259–264.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kobayashi, K., Brown, W.R. and Brennan, P.J. (1988) ‘Serum antibodies to mycobacterial antigens in active Crohn’s disease’. Gastroenterology 94, 1404–1411.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kobayashi, K., Blaser, M.J. and Brown, W.R. (1989) ‘Immuno-histochemical examination for mycobacteria in intestinal tissue from patients with Crohn’s disease’. Gastroenterology 96, 1009–1015.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Maltman, L. (1974) ‘Immunology’ In: Cell Wall Deficient Forms. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL pp. 139–141.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Matthews, N., Mayberry, J. and Rhodes, J. (1980) ‘Agglutinins to bacteria in Crohn’s disease. Gut 21, 376–380.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. McClure, H., Chiodini, R., Anderson, D., Swenson, R., Thayer, W.R. and Coutu, J. (1987) ‘Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection in a colony of stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides)’. J. Infectious Diseases 155, 1011–1019.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. McFadden, J.J., Butcher, P.D., Chiodini, R.J. and Hermon-Taylor, J. (1987) ‘Determination of genome size and DNA homology between an unclassified Mycobacterium species isolated from patients with Crohn’s disease and other mycobacteria’. J. General Microbiology 133, 211–214.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. McFadden, J.J., Butcher, P.D., Chiodini, R.J. and Hermon-Taylor, J. (1987) ‘Crohn’s disease isolated mycobacteria are identical to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, as determined by DNA probes that distinguish between mycobacterial species’. J. Clinical Microbiology 25, 796–801.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. McFadden, J.J., Thompson, J. and Green, E. (1988) ‘Identification and characterization of further bacteria isolated from Crohn’s disease and control tissue’. Gastroenterology 94, A294.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Morganroth, J. and Watson, D.W. (1970) ‘Sensitivity to atypical mycobacterial antigens in patients with Crohn’s disease’. American J. Digestive Diseases 15, 653–657.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Murray, C. and Thomson, A. (1988) ‘Marital idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease in a husband and wife’. J. Clinical Gastroenterology 10, 95–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Paris, J., Paris, J.C. and Simon, V. (1975) ‘Etude critique des effets de la médication antituberculeuse dans une série de 18 cas de formes sévères de maladie de Crohn’. Lille Medicine 20, 333–341.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Paris, J., Paris, J.C., Claerbout, J., Duval, G. and Ligand, J. (1978) ‘Résultats à distance du traitement de la Maladie de Crohn par la médication antituberculeuse’. Lille Medicine 23, 494–496.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Picciotto, A., Gesu, G.P., Schito, G.C., Tests, R., Varagona, G. and Celle, G. (1988) ‘Antimycobacterial chemotherapy in two cases of inflammatory bowel disease’. Lancet 1, 536–537.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Prantera, C., Argentieri, R., Mangiarotti, R. and Levenstein, S. (1988) ‘Antimycobacterial chemotherapy in two cases of inflammatory bowel disease’. Lancet 1, 536–537.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Reilly, R.P. and Robinson, T.J. (1986) ‘Crohn’s disease…is there a long latent period’? Postgraduate Medical J. 62, 353–354.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Schultz, M., Rieder, H., Hersh, T. and Riepe, S. (1987) ‘Remission of Crohn’s disease with antimycobacterial chemotherapy’. Lancet 2, 1391–1392.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Schulze, K., Warner, H. and Murray, D. (1977) ‘Intestinal tuberculosis: experience at a Canadian teaching institution’. Amer. J. Medicine 63, 735–745.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Shaffer, J., Hughes, S., Linaker, B., Baker, R. and Turnberg, L. (1984) ‘Controlled trial of rifampicin and ethambutol in Crohn’s disease’. Gut 25, 203–205.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Stanford, J. (1981) ‘Acid fast organisms in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis’ In: A.S. Pena, I.T. Weterman, C.C. Booth and W. Strober (eds.), Recent Advances in Crohn’s Disease. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague pp 274–277.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Strickland, R.G., Miller, W.C., Volpicelli, N.A., Gaeke, R.F., Wilson, I.D., Kirsner, J.B. and Williams, R.C. (1977) ‘Lymphocytotoxic antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and their spouses—evidence for a transmissible agent’. Clinical Experimental Immunology 30, 188–192.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Sweany, H. (1947) ‘Streptomycin in tuberculous enteritis’. Amer. Review of Tuberculosis 56, 415–417.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Thayer, W.R., Coutu, J.A., Chiodini, R.J. and VanKruiningen, H.J. (1988) ‘Use of rifabutin and streptomycin in the therapy of Crohn’s disease’. In: R.P. MacDermott (ed.), Inflammatory Bowel Disease—Current Status and Future Approach, Elsevier Science, New York pp 565–568.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Thayer, W.R., Coutu, J.A., Chiodini, R.J., VanKruiningen, H.J. and Merkal, R. (1984) ‘The possible role of mycobacteria in inflammatory bowel disease. II. Mycobacterial antibodies in Crohn’s disease’. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 29, 1080–1085.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Thayer, W.R., Fixa, B., Komarkova, O., Charland, C. and Field., C. (1978) ‘Skin test reactivity in inflammatory bowel disease in the United States and Czechoslovakia’. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 23, 337–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Toulet, J., Rousselet, J. and Viteau, J.M. (1979) ‘La rifampicine dans le traitement de la maladie de Crohn’. Gastroenterologie Cliniques et Biologie 3, 209–211.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Tytgat, G.N. and Mulder, C.J. (1986) ‘The aetiology of Crohn’s disease’. International J. Colonic Disease 1, 188–192.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. VanKruiningen, H.J., Chiodini, R.J., Thayer, W.R., Coutu, J.A., Merkal, R.S. and Runnels, P.L. (1986) ‘Experimental disease in infant goats induced by a Mycobacterium isolated from a patient with Crohn’s disease. A preliminary report’. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 31, 1351–1360.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. VanKruiningen, H.J., Thayer, W.R., Chiodini, R.J., Menton, D. and Coutu, J.A. (1988) ‘An immunoperoxidase search for mycobacteria in Crohn’s disease’. In: R.P. MacDermott (ed.) Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Current Status and Future Approach Elsevier Science, New York pp. 547–552.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Warren, J., Rees, H. and Cox, T. (1986) ‘Remission of Crohn’s disease with tuberculosis chemotherapy’. New England J. Medicine 314, 182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Watson, D.W. and Martucci, R. (1974) ‘Sensitivity to mycobacterial antigens in patients with Crohn’s disease’. Gastroenterology 66, 794.

    Google Scholar 

  64. White, S. (1981) ‘Investigations into the identity of acid fast organisms isolated from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis’. In: A.S. Pena, I.T. Weterman, C.C. Booth and W. Strober (eds.), Recent Advances in Crohn’s Disease, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague pp 274–277.

    Google Scholar 

  65. Whorwell, P.J., Davidson, I.W., Beeken, W.L. and Wright, R. (1978) ‘Search by immunofluorescence for antigens of rota virus, Pseudomonas maltophilia, and Mycobacterium kansasii in Crohn’s disease’. Lancet 2, 697–698.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Williams, W. (1965) ‘A study of Crohn’s syndrome using tissue extracts and the Kveim and Mantoux tests’. Gut 6, 503–505.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Wirostko, E., Johnson, L. and Wirostko, B. (1987) ‘Crohn’s disease. Rifampin treatment of the occular and gut disease’. Hepatogastroenterologie 34, 90–93.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Yoshimura, H.H., Graham, D.Y., Estes, M.K. and Merkal, R.S. (1987) ‘Investigation of association of mycobacteria with inflammatory bowel disease by nucleic acid hybridization’. J. Clinical Microbiology 25, 45–51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy St., APC 421, Providence, Rhode Island, USA, 02903

    W. R. Thayer Jr. M.D.

Authors
  1. W. R. Thayer Jr. M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel

    D. Rachmilewitz  & J. Zimmerman  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Thayer, W.R. (1990). Are Mycobacteria the Cause of Crohn’s Disease?. In: Rachmilewitz, D., Zimmerman, J. (eds) Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 1990. Developments in Gastroenterology, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1980-8_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1980-8_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7385-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1980-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation