Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
Letter to the Editor

Ulcerative Colitis in a COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report

1.

Department of Gastroenterology, Altinbas University, Bahcelievler Medical Park Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

2.

Department of Internal Diseases, Altinbas University, Bahcelievler Medical Park Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Turk J Gastroenterol 2021; 32: 543-547
DOI: 10.5152/tjg.2021.20851
Read: 1807 Downloads: 564 Published: 01 June 2021

Background: COVID-19 pneumonia is a global viral disease and has been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The coronavirus that causes it can remain in the stool of some infected patients for a short period, even after recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia. Studies have increasingly reported the involvement of other organs, including the gastrointestinal system, in addition to the respiratory system. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease with an unknown cause. Emerging data suggest that the gas trointestinal system may be influenced by COVID-19 via the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2), but data on the association between COVID-19 and inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis, are lacking. In this report, we describe a case of ulcerative colitis diagnosed in a 50-year-old male patient who presented with complaints of bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain following the completion of treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia. It is possible for the novel coronavirus to trigger ulcerative colitis. Hence, patients presenting with gastrointestinal com plaints should also be evaluated for COVID-19.

Cite this article as: Aydın MF, Taşdemir H. Ulcerative colitis in a COVID-19 patient: A case report. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021; 32(6): 543-547.

Files
EISSN 2148-5607