Idiopathic ulcerative colitis among Ethiopian patients with chronic diarrhoea.

Using both exclusion and inclusion criteria, a search for idiopathic ulcerative colitis was made among patients who presented with chronic diarrhoea over a period of 3 years. Five of 19 patients with chronic diarrhoea were clinically, histologically and radiologically compatible with idiopathic ulcerative colitis. Though rare, idiopathic ulcerative colitis does exist among this population and, therefore, should be looked for in patients presenting with chronic diarrhoea.