Published online Jun 7, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i21.3241
Peer-review started: February 16, 2023
First decision: April 2, 2023
Revised: April 4, 2023
Accepted: May 8, 2023
Article in press: May 8, 2023
Published online: June 7, 2023
Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) is a particular type of IBS, with symptom onset after an acute episode of infectious gastroenteritis. Despite infectious disease resolution and clearance of the inciting pathogen agent, 10% of patients will develop PI-IBS. In susceptible individuals, the exposure to patho
Core Tip: Acute infectious gastroenteritis can trigger the onset of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leading to the development of post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS). PI-IBS is a clinical entity associated with gut dysbiosis. Alterations in the gut microbiome can affect the gut-brain axis, visceral sensitivity, intestinal barrier, intestinal secretion, gut motility, and immune activation, which in turn can cause IBS symptoms. A better understanding of PI-IBS is necessary to develop more targeted and effective treatments. Therapies targeting the microbiome, such as probiotics, antibiotics, diet, and fecal microbiota transplants, improve IBS symptoms. There is a lack of evidence of their efficiency in PI-IBS.