Although chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have been described for more than a century and despite the progress made in the last decade, their etiology and pathogenesis are still not completely understood. This publication presents the state-of-the-art regarding etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical presentation and treatment of IBD. Starting with a description of the most recent developments regarding the genetic basis of IBD, the attention is then turned to environmental factors such as diet, smoking, infectious agents and, most currently, hygiene. This is followed by a description of the possibilities and limitations of various recent imaging methods such as CT, MRI and capsule endoscopy. The discussion then moves on to extraintestinal symptoms and complications of IBD, including osteoporosis as well as some other complications, followed by an account of various treatment options including a review of standard treatments for IBD, surgical therapy and lastly 'biological therapies'. Written for both clinicians and researchers, this publication summarizes recent progress and will help to prepare the way for further research into the genotypes and their treatment.
