Small-Intestinal Microflora in Australian Aboriginal Children with Chronic Diarrhoea

Abstract

Intestinal aerobic microflora in eleven Caucasian children. Results indicate populations of various species and total flora expressed as viable colony counts/ml of intestinal contents.

Gastric pH and microflora of normal and diarrhoeic infants.

“…Our microbiological data in gastric contents are similar to those reported by Gracey and Stone (1972), , and Challacombe et al (1974) in jejunal juice of diarrhoeic infants. Otherwise, when the microflora was determined in both, gastric and jejunal sites comparable results were frequently obtained (Drasar et al, 1969;Gorbach, Mahalanabis, Brayton, Jacobs, Chatterjee, and Neogy, 1970;Mata etal, 1972).…”

Duodenal bile acids in infants with protracted diarrhoea.

“…Although ileal dysfunction may be one explanation for the bile acid findings reported in protracted diarrhoea, further study of the enterohepatic circulation and faecal excretion of bile acids in this disorder will be necessary. Bacterial overgrowth in the upper small intestine (Gracey and Stone, 1972;Challacombe et al, 1974b), a rapid small intestinal transit time, or impaired synthesis of bile acids by the liver due to malnutrition, could each influence bile acid metabolism in infants with protracted diarrhoea.…”

The stomach in malnutrition.

“…Recent reports from Central America (Mata et al, 1972), Australia (Gracey and Stone, 1972), South-East Asia (Gracey et al, 1973), and Africa (Heyworth and Brown, 1975) indicate that the contents of the upper small intestine of malnourished infants and children are contaminated with bacteria. This may contribute to the production of diarrhoea and malnutrition in these children and thus worsen their state (Gracey et al, 1975).…”