Cure8 research brief
The review highlights that colorectal IBD is under-recognized and often mistaken for infectious colitis in sub‑Saharan Africa due to limited diagnostic and specialist resources, which can delay appropriate care.
Clinicians in SSA, health system planners, researchers on IBD epidemiology, and patients/caregivers concerned about diagnosis and access to care.
The authors performed a comprehensive literature review (1997–2026) and found relatively few robust regional data: most reports were case reports or small series, with the largest datasets from South Africa and Nigeria.
Reported challenges include shortages of endoscopy, pathology, and laboratory services; low clinician awareness; lack of registries; and underdiagnosis and underreporting.
Clinical and system-level implications emphasized by the paper include the need for context-specific diagnostic algorithms that assess infectious and inflammatory causes together, expansion of endoscopic and laboratory capacity, and targeted training for clinicians.
This is a literature review (1997–2026) based on published reports with many case reports and small series; findings reflect gaps in surveillance and diagnostic infrastructure rather than new primary trial data.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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