Post-infective malabsorption in the temperate zone.

A series of 37 adults normally resident in Britain have been investigated for persistent bowel symptoms following acute enteritis. 26 had intestinal malabsorption, of whom 12 had been travelling in the Mediterranean area, whereas 10 developed their illness at home. Mild jejunal mucosal abnormalities were found in cases with and without malabsorption, and the intraepithelial lymphocyte count correlated more closely with the degree of malabsorption than did the histological grading. Over 80% of severe cases were folate deficient. Enterobacteria were cultured from the jejunal fluid in 30% of cases. Our observations confirm that post-infective malabsorption occurs sporadically in adults in the temperate zone and is occasionally severe. The condition involves small bowel contamination with enterobacteria, and it differs from acute tropical sprue only in its greater tendency to spontaneous recovery.