What are the two different types of diverticulitis?

Diverticular disease grows more common with age. About 10% of people over age 40 will get diverticulosis, and 50% will get it after age 60. It affects nearly everyone over 80. There are two main types of diverticular disease — diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding.

Is diverticulosis a bacterial infection?

Diverticulitis describes infection that occurs when bacteria becomes trapped inside one of the bulges, triggering more severe symptoms. Diverticulitis can lead to complications, such as an abscess next to the intestine.

What is the gold standard to diagnosis diverticulitis?

Although computed tomography (CT) imaging is considered the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of acute diverticulitis in the United States, ultrasound is routinely used in Europe, Asia, and Africa as the initial imaging modality of choice in the evaluation of patients with suspected diverticulitis.

What type of bacteria causes diverticulitis?

The infection in diverticulitis results from normal colonic flora released into the peritoneal cavity through a colonic perforation. This is, therefore, a polymicrobial infection. The most common organisms cultured include anaerobes, such as Bacteroides fragilis, and gram negatives, such as Escherichia coli.

What antibiotics are given for diverticulitis?

How is diverticulitis treated? If your diverticulitis is mild, your healthcare provider will prescribe an oral antibiotic, such as metronidazole (Flagyl®), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim®), ciprofloxacin (Cipro®) or amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin®).

What is the strongest antibiotic for diverticulitis?

For complicated cases of diverticulitis in hospitalized patients, carbapenems are the most effective empiric therapy because of increasing bacterial resistance to other regimens. Potential regimens include the following: Ciprofloxacin plus metronidazole. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus metronidazole.

Can you become septic from diverticulitis?

An abdominal infection such as diverticulitis is a common cause of sepsis, said Dr. Niket Sonpal, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harlem Campus. Severe diverticulitis may also cause bowel obstruction.