Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary symptoms of active disease are abdominal pain and diarrhoea mixed with blood. Weight loss, fever, and anaemia may also occur.

Source : Wikipedia

The exact causes of UC are unknown. and despite decades of research, numerous aspects remain unclear.

Theories include abnormal immune system function, disturbed microbiomeplugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigMicrobiome interactions

"The human gut harbors trillions of invisible microbial inhabitants, referred to as the microbiota, that collectively produce thousands of unique small molecules. The sources and biological functions of the vast majority of these molecules are unknown. balances, and environmental factors.

Note: Ulcerative colitis is the name given for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) specifically of the lower digestive tract. Inflammations of the entire tract are usually classed as Crohn's diseaseplugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigCrohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect any part of the entire digestive tract. It causes inflammation and in severe cases, ulcers can form. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, abdominal distension, and weight loss.

Also see :Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)plugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

"The most common condition seen in gastrointestinal outpatient clinics is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which has a prevalence rate of 14-24% in women and 5-19% in men. [...] There is no known structural or anatomical explanation that accounts for the pathophysiology, and the exact cause remains unknown"