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SUMMARY Jejunal mucosal biopsies were obtained from 13 patients with acute enteritis. Ten patients were examined again after recovery. Quantitative analysis of the findings in immunofluorescence microscopy showed a significant increase of IgA-and IgM-containing cells during acute enteritis. After recovery the number of immunoglobulin-containing cells and their distribution within the different immunoglobulin classes were within normal limits.The lamina propria of the gastrointestinal tract is richly endowed with immunoglobulin-containing cells. These are considered to participate in local immune defence and to produce the major part of the immunoglobulins found in external secretion.To assess the influence of naturally occurring antigen stimulation on the immunoglobulin-containing cells of the human intestine the following study was carried out. Jejunal biopsies from patients with acute enteritis were obtained during the acute period and afterrecovery and the number of immunoglobulin-containing cells and theirdistribution on the different immunoglobulin classes were quantitated. MaterialThirteen patients, who were aged 17 to 70 years (median 39 years), with acute enteritis, all had fever and at least 15 watery, malodorous bowel movements a day without blood contamination. The diarrhoea persisted for five to 22 days (median eight days) and was the primary cause of hospital admission. In four cases salmonellae were cultured from the stools but in the remaining cases repeated bacteriological examinations were negative. All the patients were living in Denmark but eight had encountered the disease during tourist travel in southern Europe. None had previously had gastrointestinal complaints. except two who had had the gallbladder removed some years before because of gallstones. All patients 'Requests for reprints should be addressed to: J.