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Virus diarrhoea associated with pale fatty faeces.
The Journal of Hygiene
|October 1, 1981
Summary
Rotavirus gastroenteritis can cause steatorrhoea (fatty stools) in adults and infants. Viral infections, particularly rotavirus, are linked to impaired fat digestion and pale stools in acute enteritis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Virology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Steatorrhoea (fatty stools) and pale stools are common symptoms of gastroenteritis.
- Rotavirus is a frequent cause of gastroenteritis in infants and adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between steatorrhoea and rotavirus infection.
- To determine if viral infections impede fat digestion and fecal pigmentation.
Main Methods:
- Light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM) were used to examine faecal samples.
- Faecal samples from patients with steatorrhoea and pale stools were compared to those without these symptoms.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was identified in 14 of 25 patients with steatorrhoea during an outbreak.
- Electron microscopy detected viruses in 55% of pale or fatty stools from a separate patient group, including rotaviruses, astroviruses, and adenovirus.
- No viruses were detected in normally pigmented, non-fatty stools.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus infection is significantly associated with steatorrhoea and fatty enteritis.
- Viruses, especially rotaviruses, can impair fat digestion and faecal pigmentation.
- Fatty or pale stools in acute enteritis warrant virological examination.