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Updated: May 6, 2026

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
[Intestinal microflora in children with acute and persistent diarrhea]
Y García Cristia1, T Fragoso Arbelo, M Valdés-Dapena Vivanca
1Hospital Pediátrico Docente Juan Manuel Marquez, Servicio de Gastroenterología.
Insights
Altered duodenal microflora, including bacterial overgrowth, is linked to persistent diarrhea in infants. Microbiological analysis of duodenal content helps identify risk factors influencing diarrhea duration.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Persistent diarrhea in infants often has an unidentified, multifactorial etiology.
- Understanding the role of enteric microflora in diarrhea duration is crucial.
Purpose:
- To investigate if alterations in enteric microflora are a risk factor for persistent diarrhea in infants.
- To correlate duodenal microflora with nutritional status and prior antibiotic use.
Summary:
- Studied 30 infants with acute diarrhea and 30 with persistent diarrhea.
- Analyzed duodenal content for enteric microorganisms, anaerobes, and Candida.
- Found bacterial overgrowth and altered duodenal flora in both groups, indicating a role in diarrhea persistence.
Impact:
- Highlights the significance of duodenal microflora analysis in diagnosing and managing persistent diarrhea.
- Suggests potential therapeutic targets for restoring gut health in affected infants.
Abstract:
The etiology and pathogenesis of persistent diarrhoea is usually multifactorial and sometimes can not be identified. It is necessary to define if an alteration of the enteric microflora is a risk factor that influence the duration of the diarrhoea. 30 infants with acute diarrhoea and 30 with persistent diarrhoea were studied. A sample of duodenal content was taken by a doble-lumen tube and processed microbiologically in search for enteric microorganisms, anaerobic and Candida. These result were correlated with nutritional status, the previous use of Metroonidazol and the results of the stool culture. The presence of bacterial overgrowth and the identification of the duodenal microflora is an important factor for the persistence of the diarrhoea. There was a quantitative and qualitative alteration of the duodenal flora in both groups of patients.
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