The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 11, Issue 4 433-440, Copyright © 1978 by Society for General Microbiology
Jejunal microbial flora of southern indian infants in health and with acute gastroenteritis
M. J. Albert, P. Bhat, D. Rajan, P. P. Maiya, S. M. Pereira, M. Mathan and S. J. Baker
The microbial flora of the jejunal lumen of 28 infants with acute
gastroenteritis was compared with that of a group of 10 normal infants. The
jejunum of control subjects harboured an "oral" type of flora and in a few
instances enterobacteria in small numbers. The concentrations of all but
one of the groups of organism were higher in the patients than in controls,
and the differences were of statistical significance for enterobacteria and
lactobacilli. In eight subjects, the same pathogen was identified in the
jejunum and the stool. In six subjects with rotavirus infection, there were
almost no Gram-negative aerobic rods in the jejunum. The possible role of
other Gram-negative aerobic rods in producing gastroenteritis is discussed.
It is suggested that studies of jejunal flora are of considerable
importance in assigning an aetiological role to bacteria in the causation
of acute gastroenteritis.
