 Prolonged use of corticosteroids has significant side-effects; as a result, they are, in general, not used for long-term treatment.Alternatives include aminosalicylates alone, though only a minority are able to maintain the treatment, and many require immunosuppressive drugs.It has been also suggested that antibiotics change the enteric flora, and their continuous use may pose the risk of overgrowth with pathogens such as "Clostridium difficile".