Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disorder that affects the digestive system. This condition is characterized by abnormal inflammation of the inner surface (epithelium) of the rectum and colon. The rectum and colon make up most of the length of the large intestine. The inflammation usually causes open sores (ulcers) to develop in the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis usually appears between the age of 15 and 30, although it can develop at any age. The inflammation tends to flare up multiple times throughout a person's life, which causes recurring signs and symptoms.\n\nThe most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are cramping abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea, often with blood, pus, or mucus in the stool. Other signs and symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, bowel urgency, fatigue, and fevers. Chronic bleeding from the inflamed and ulcerated intestinal tissue can cause a shortage of red blood cells (anemia) in some affected individuals. People with this disorder have difficulty absorbing enough fluids and nutrients from their diet and often experience weight loss. Affected children usually grow more slowly than normal. Less commonly, ulcerative colitis causes problems with the skin, joints, eyes, kidneys, or liver, which are most likely due to abnormal inflammation.\n\nToxic megacolon is a rare complication of ulcerative colitis that can be life-threatening. Toxic megacolon involves a widening (dilation) of the colon and an overwhelming inflammatory response. Ulcerative colitis also increases the risk of developing colon cancer, especially in people whose entire colon is inflamed and in those who have had ulcerative colitis for 8 years or more.\n\nUlcerative colitis is one common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Another type of IBD, Crohn's disease, also causes chronic inflammation of the intestines. Unlike ulcerative colitis, which affects only the inner surface of the large intestine, Crohn's disease can cause inflammation in any part of the digestive system, and the inflammation extends deeper into the intestinal tissue.

A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that includes characteristic ulcers, or open sores, in the colon. The main symptom of active disease is usually constant diarrhea mixed with blood, of gradual onset and intermittent periods of exacerbated symptoms contrasting with periods that are relatively symptom-free. In contrast to Crohn's disease this special form of colitis begins in the distal parts of the rectum, spreads continually upwards and affects only mucose and submucose tissue of the colon.

A chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of the intestines that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms. It primarily causes abdominal pain, diarrhea which may be bloody, vomiting, or weight loss, but may also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract such as skin rashes, arthritis, inflammation of the eye, tiredness, and lack of concentration. Crohn's disease is thought to be an autoimmune disease, in which the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation.

The presence of chronic diarrhea, which is usually taken to mean diarrhea that has persisted for over 4 weeks.

An abnormal reduction in numbers of all blood cell types (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).

Persistent abnormal dilatation of the bronchi owing to localized and irreversible destruction and widening of the large airways.

Replacement of normal lung tissues by fibroblasts and collagen.

A finding indicating the presence of an inflammatory or neoplastic cellular infiltrate in the lung parenchyma.

An increased susceptibility to infections involving both the paranasal sinuses and the lungs, as manifested by a history of recurrent sinopulmonary infections.

Abnormal increased size of the spleen.

Decreased levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA).

An abnormally decreased level of immunoglobulin M (IgM) in blood.

An abnormally decreased level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in blood.

An abnormally reduced count of basophils per volume in the blood circulation.

A reduction in the normal proportion of memory B cells (CD19+/CD27+) in circulation relative to the total number of B cells. Memory B cells develop from naive B cells. Upon antigen rechallenge, memory B cells rapidly expand and differentiate into plasma cells under the cognate control of memory Th cells (Phase IV).

The presence of autoantibodies in the serum that react against proteins predominantly expressed in perinuclear region of neutrophils.

An abnormally decreased level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in blood.

Body temperature elevated above the normal range.