Histopathological and histochemical studies on jejunal mucosa in diarrheal disease in infancy and early childhood

The jejunal mucosa of 90% of well nourished children with enteral diarrhea [30 patients] showed definite histopathological changes which varied from mild to severe. The severity of mucosal changes was neither related to the causative organism or degree of dehydration. The jejunal mucosa of 13 marasmic children with enteral diarrhea showed moderate to severe changes while all kwashiorkor patients [7] with diarrhea showed severe changes. Lactase activity as well as fat absorption were positively correlated with the severity of the mucosal changes. Recovery of histopathological changes was slower in malnourished patients