Ulcerative colitis in a Nigerian girl: a case report

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is uncommon in the tropics and sub-tropics. We report a case of UC in a 7 year old girl whose parents were both Nigerians. This report is to alert healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa that UC is not a rare health problem, especially in children. The patient presented with frequent passage of blood stained stool, abdominal pain and significant weight loss. The diagnosis was entertained after she was investigated for common causes of chronic diarrhea in our setting and the findings were negative. The patient symptoms abated after she was commenced on steroid therapy. Under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis may account for a dearth of information on UC in African children.