You may have read the story back in the year 2000 about a town in Ontario in which over two thousand residents became ill due to tainted water. Apparently a longitudinal study found that more than a third of those infected developed post-infectious IBS (IBS-PI). More recently, a study has been published that looked to see if genetics had anything to do with why some residents developed ongoing problems with IBS and others did not.

According to the study abstract, the study groups consisted of 228 individuals who had become ill from the tainted water and developed IBS-PI two to three years after the initial illness and 581 individuals who were sickened by the tainted water but did not suffer from ongoing IBS. Using science beyond the scope of this blog, or this blog writer's expertise (to be quite honest), the researchers looked to see if there were any genetic markers that would differentiate between the two groups. Interestingly enough, the researchers were able to identify differences in the genetic makeup of several particular types of cells.

To me, this is fascinating stuff, even if most of it is over my head. Who knows where the ability to identify genetic risk factors can lead? Perhaps, those who are found to be genetically at risk for IBS will be treated differently when they get sick from exposure to some sort of bad bacteria, whether it be food poisoning or tainted water. Funky genetics or not, remember there are steps you can take to prevent ongoing problems if you suffer from an acute GI infection:

• How to Recover from a GI Infection

Related Reading:

• What Is Post-infectious IBS?

_Source:

_{Villani, A., et.al. "Genetic Risk Factors for Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome Following a Waterborne Outbreak of Gastroenteritis " Gastroenterology Published online December 31 2009.}

My series on hemorrhoids comes to a decisive end (pun intended) with my newest article:

• Comprehensive Hemorrhoid Guide

Here, all in one place, you will find all you need to know about hemorrhoids, including symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Whew! Now I can go on to happier subjects, like anal fissures...

As you know, IBS is far from a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. Symptoms can run the gamut from constipation to diarrhea - a fact that seems so puzzling! Many of you know from experience that you could deal with one symptom for months or years and then find yourself dealing with the exact opposite problem. My newest article takes a brief look at the research on IBS sub-types. (Spoiler alert: As with many things IBS, there are no hard and fast facts.):

• IBS Sub-Types

This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. Although I am sorry to see my New York Jets out of the running, I will certainly be interested to see if Peyton Manning is just as devastating against the New Orleans Saints. (For those of you who don't follow football and don't want to seem ignorant, the competing teams are the Indianopolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints - the game starts at 6:00 PM EST).

Super Bowl parties have the potential to be a digestive nightmare due to the high fat nature of the foods traditionally served - deep-fried hot wings dipped in blue cheese dressing are a great way to commit gastronomical suicide. To help you to take good care of your digestive system and still enjoy the day, I offer you my Super Bowl survival tips:

• Super Bowl Playbook For a Healthy Gut

For more on the Super Bowl:

• Super Bowl XLIV

Related Reading:

• Going to Parties with IBS