Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively referred to as inflammatory bowel
diseases (IBD), are idiopathic immunologically mediated disorders characterized by
spontaneous relapses and remissions. The chronic, relapsing nature of IBD and the
insidious, almost universal recurrence of Crohn's disease after segmental resection suggest
that the antigen (s) initiating and perpetuating the inflammatory response are ubiquitous
(Sartor, 1995a). Intestinal microbial flora are prominently associated with each of the 3 …