Ulcerative Colitis

The body may respond to this buildup of bacteria by secreting inflammatory molecules, which accumulate and lead to the chronic inflammation typical of Crohn's.

"Causation of Crohn's disease by failure of the acute inflammatory response would fit very well with the so-called hygiene hypothesis, in which the increased incidence of the disease has been attributed to improved standards of sanitation," the authors wrote, noting that incidence of the disease rose greatly in the latter part of the 20th century.

"These findings provide hope for the development of more effective therapies for Crohn's disease," the authors said.

Current treatments are immunosuppressive, but although they reduce symptoms by dampening the proposed secondary inflammation, they might actually accentuate the underlying immunodeficiency.

A more successful treatment approach might be to introduce IL-8 or other proinflammatory stimuli directly into acute lesions, either by direct enteral administration or through synthesis by genetically modified gut o...

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