Biomaterial Database

Mechanism of malabsorption in giardiasis: a study of bacterial flora and bile salt deconjugation in upper jejunum. 1977

B N Tandon, and R K Tandon, and B K Satpathy, and Shriniwas

Sixty-three unselected cases of giardiasis, with no evidence of other systemic disease, were screened for evidence of steatorrhoea. No patient had any evidence of protein-energy malnutrition. Seventeen (27%) of the cases had steatorrhoea; three (17-8%) of the 17 patients having steatorrhoea also had D-xylose malabsorption. Vitamin B12 absorption was normal in all. Bacterial culture and qualitative analysis of bile salt in jejunal fluid was carried out in all the 17 cases having steatorrhoea as well as 13 cases with normal absorptive parameters (eight cases of irritable bowel syndrome and five cases of giardia infection) who served as controls. All the patients showing bacterial overgrowth had free bile acids in their duodenal aspirate. Free bile acids could also be detected in jejunal aspirates of five of the seven patients having no bacterial overgrowth. Two control cases of giardia infection with normal small bowel function and sterile duodenal aspirate showed evidence of bile salt deconjugation. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of steatorrhoea in patients with giardiasis. The possible role of giardia in bile salt deconjugation is suggested.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007408	Intestinal Absorption	Uptake of substances through the lining of the INTESTINES.	Absorption, Intestinal
D007583	Jejunum	The middle portion of the SMALL INTESTINE, between DUODENUM and ILEUM. It represents about 2/5 of the remaining portion of the small intestine below duodenum.	Jejunums
D002446	Celiac Disease	A malabsorption syndrome that is precipitated by the ingestion of foods containing GLUTEN, such as wheat, rye, and barley. It is characterized by INFLAMMATION of the SMALL INTESTINE, loss of MICROVILLI structure, failed INTESTINAL ABSORPTION, and MALNUTRITION.	Gluten Enteropathy,Sprue, Celiac,Sprue, Nontropical,Celiac Sprue,Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy,Sprue,Disease, Celiac,Enteropathies, Gluten,Enteropathies, Gluten-Sensitive,Enteropathy, Gluten,Enteropathy, Gluten-Sensitive,Gluten Enteropathies,Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy,Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathies,Nontropical Sprue
D005873	Giardiasis	An infection of the SMALL INTESTINE caused by the flagellated protozoan GIARDIA. It is spread via contaminated food and water and by direct person-to-person contact.	Lambliasis,Giardia Infection,Giardia duodenalis Infection,Giardia intestinalis Infection,Giardia lamblia Infection,Giardia Infections,Giardia duodenalis Infections,Giardia intestinalis Infections,Giardia lamblia Infections,Giardiases,Infection, Giardia,Infection, Giardia duodenalis,Infection, Giardia intestinalis,Infection, Giardia lamblia,Infections, Giardia,Infections, Giardia duodenalis,Infections, Giardia intestinalis,Infections, Giardia lamblia,Lambliases
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D001647	Bile Acids and Salts	Steroid acids and salts. The primary bile acids are derived from cholesterol in the liver and usually conjugated with glycine or taurine. The secondary bile acids are further modified by bacteria in the intestine. They play an important role in the digestion and absorption of fat. They have also been used pharmacologically, especially in the treatment of gallstones.	Bile Acid,Bile Salt,Bile Salts,Bile Acids,Acid, Bile,Acids, Bile,Salt, Bile,Salts, Bile