Proctitis due to specific infections

Proctitis due to specific infections

Clostridium difficile An acute form of proctocolitis caused by infection with C. di ffi cile can follow broad-spectrum antibiotics. A membrane can sometimes be seen on sigmoidoscopy (‘pseudomembranous’ colitis). Bacillary dysentery The appearance is that of an acute purulent proctitis with multiple small, shallow ulcers. Amoebic dysentery The infection is more likely to be chronic, with exacerbations after a long period of symptom improvement. Proctoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are not painful.