[Significance of deficient bacterial colonization in the pathogenesis of mucosal lesions in experimental blind loop...

A complete evaluation of the bacterial flora in jejunal self-filling blind loops was performed. The results show a significant increase in bacteria of the genera E. coli, Streptococcus and Bacteroides. In further experiments, jejunal self-filling blind loops were created in germ-free animals. In spite of the germ-free state the mucosa displayed marked hyperplasia. The same was true when the blind loops had been contaminated with aerobic bacteria. These results demonstrate that other factors in addition to bacterial overgrowth contribute to the mucosal damage observed in self-filling blind loops.