Registry to Study the Incidence, Phenotype, Risk Factors and Clinical Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Zimbabwe
The investigators intend to establish a prospective registry of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease at Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study will periodically collect data on disease phenotype, disease course, and clinical management, and will biobank stool specimens and germline DNA. One relative, and an individual from the same neighbourhood will be also be recruited for a nested case-control study into risk factors of inflammatory bowel disease in this population.
• Cases
‣ Any patient with confirmed inflammatory bowel disease
⁃ Onset of disease ≥3 months ago.
• Controls
‣ Age ≥ 18 years (NB - cases younger than 18 will be excluded from case-control analysis
⁃ One sibling or cousin (2nd degree) and one neighbourhood control.