Now considered an organ with defensive and metabolic capabilities, the intestinal microbiota plays a major role in the local host immune system development and education. It contributes to the generation of a homeostatic balance characterized by the capacity to react against pathogens while remaining hyperresponsive/tolerant against commensals. This homeostatic response depends on bacteria and bacterial product sensing by innate immune cells and their molecular asset at the intestinal mucosa. This book captures the enormous progress that has been accomplished in this field in recent years.

The product of a workshop bringing together leading international specialists, this extremely concise book provides, in just a few pages, a complete overview of the diagnosis and latest forms of treatment for ulcerative colitis, focusing in particular on the effectiveness in situ of treating the ulcerated mucous membrane directly. The authors deal in turn with the full range of therapeutic resources now available to practitioners (5-ASA, corticosteroids, budesonide, local treatment, etc.) and take care to indicate precisely the best strategy to adopt, along with degree of effectiveness, doses to be prescribed and tolerance levels. Each chapter ends with a "Discussion" section which highlights the complementary viewpoints of workshop participants talking about their individual clinical experiences. This original approach gives the reader a complete and objective overview of the topic. At the leading edge of therapeutic practice, this book offers a clear, concrete response to gastroenterologists and pharmacologists involved in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.