Lay Summary

Proposal No.   IBD-0044
Principal Investigator:  Herbert J. Van Kruiningen, DVM, Ph.D., M.D.
Applicant Organization:  The University of Connecticut (Storrs, U.S.A.)
Project Title: Epidemiology of Familial Crohn's Disease
Period of Award:  December 1, 2002 – March 31, 2006

Families with multiple cases of Crohn’s disease occur with inordinate frequency in the north of France and the northern half of Belgium.  Recognizing that these families represent an extraordinary opportunity to study both genetic and environmental factors in Crohn’s disease, in the summer of 2000, we initiated an extensive study to obtain information and clinical specimens from affected and unaffected family members.  Twenty-two families with greater than three members affected with Crohn's disease were studied, as were six matched control families and four families with single cases of Crohn's disease.

Matched control families without Crohn's disease will be recruited and additional matched families with single cases of Crohn's disease will be identified through local gastroenterologists.  A 176-point questionnaire will be administered to affected and unaffected family members in a round-the-table format, in their homes.  Because of the relatively immobile population in this region, many affected individuals are still living in the homes where they first developed symptoms of Crohn's disease.  The questionnaire addresses childhood diseases, food items, potable water supply, social activities, travel, pets, first symptoms, home and surrounding environment.  Subsequent to the interview, mouth cultures will be obtained, blood will be drawn and stool specimens will be collected.  All data will be analyzed, comparing responses to the questionnaire from those affected with those unaffected within families and between affected and control families.

We will seek several classes of viruses that may target the intestinal tract, that are known to result in persistent or recurring infection and that may therefore contribute to the cause of Crohn's disease.  These molecular studies will be done on frozen tissue from surgical resections from patients, familial and non-familial, from the same patient base.

This project takes a unique and innovative approach to investigating the etiology of Crohn’s disease, with emphasis on environmental factors.