The past year has seen some advances in the diagnosis and epidemiology of invasive bacteria that cause colonic infections. Multidrug-resistantShigellaare increasingly found. Studies from Scandinavia have been published suggesting that yersiniosis may have previously unsuspected chronic colonic sequelae, and that inflammatory bowel disease is associated with yersiniosis.Clostridium difficile-associated colitis remains a hot topic, with interesting studies on its culturing and relapsing nature. Several excellent new articles on colonic tuberculosis should be read by all; they are likely to become important articles of reference. As expected, the range of human immunodeficiency virus-associated colonic infections is broadening, and the list of potential pathogens has lengthened.