BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is hypothesized to represent an aberrant immune response against enteric bacteria that occurs in a genetically susceptible host. Humans and mice with IBD are at markedly increased risk for colonic neoplasia. However, the long lead time required before development of inflammation-associated colon neoplasia in commonly used murine models of IBD slows the development of effective chemopreventative therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Neonatal coinfection with Helicobacter typhlonius and Helicobacter rodentium was used to trigger the onset of IBD in mice deficient in the immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10. The severity of colon inflammation and incidence of neoplasia was determined histologically. RESULTS: IL-10(-/-) mice demonstrated early onset, severe colon inflammation following neonatal infection with H. typhlonius and H. rodentium. The incidence of inflammation-associated colon neoplasia was approximately 95% at a mean age of 21 +/- 2 weeks. Mutation of endoglin, an accessory receptor for TGF-beta, did not affect the severity of IBD or the incidence of neoplasia in this model. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid onset of severe colon inflammation and multiple neoplastic lesions in the colons of IL-10(-/-) mice neonatally coinfected with H. typhlonius and H. rodentium makes this model well-suited for investigating the mechanisms involved in inflammation-associated colon cancer as well as its chemoprevention.