Tropical Enteropathy (Environmental Enteropathy) in Early Childhood: a Syndrome Caused by Contaminated Environment

Summary Tropical Enteropathy has been described in children and adults that live in developing countries. This disease may or may not be symptomatic. We studied 112 patients with Tropical Enteropathy for their nutritional status and intestinal function. The following tests were performed: D-xylose absorption, triglyceride load, carbohydrate load (lactose, sucrose, glucose), bile salts assay of jejunal juice and small bowel biopsy; follow-up of the nutritional status revealed that 107 (95.5 per cent) had presented with malnutrition. Xylose absorption revealed levels of 25.00±12.3 mg per cent and 23.70±ll.l at 1 and 2 hours, with controls of, 46.0±13.9 and 40.7±12.3 mg per cent (p