Colitis is inflammation of the colon, the large intestine. Colitis can be acute or chronic, depending on the duration, which can also change the symptoms and their severity. Pain in the abdomen, bloating and blood in the stools are very commonly seen, but inflammation can also cause nausea, vomiting, and fever. Those with chronic colitis might have fatigue due to anemia and malabsorption. An infection can cause acute colitis, if you have drank or eaten contaminated food or water, but chronic colitis may be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease, like ulcerative colitis. To determine if you have colitis, after a general physical examination, blood tests and stool tests may be required, however, endoscopic examinations such as colonoscopy might also be done. A thin, flexible tube with a camera, called an endoscope, is inserted into the anus and advanced through the colon to allow the gastroenterologist to view the inside of the intestines.