Pork is a healthy source of protein, iron and zinc, but must be cooked properly to avoid illness.

Colitis, also called ulcerative colitis, is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic bouts of abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea. While no known cure exists for colitis, according to MayoClinic.

Colitis is the medical term that describes inflammation of the colon, or large intestine. Infectious colitis is inflammation of the colon caused by an infectious agent. These include bacteria, viruses and parasites.

It's estimated that ischemic colitis, which is when blood flow to the large part of the colon is narrowed or blocked, is responsible for 1 out of every 1,000 hospitalizations, according to clinical practice guidelines from December 2008 published in "World Journal of Gastroenterology."

A pathogen is a biological agent, or germ, that causes disease to its host by interrupting normal body processes. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are all common types of pathogens that can cause pathogenic, or infectious, diseases.