clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Presentation is with diarrhoea or typical features of malabsorption. Bacteria - anaerobes, E. coli, Klebsiella - deconjugate bile salts, metabolise vitamin B12 and carbohydrate. Folate and fat soluble vitamins are not malabsorbed. The condition should be suspected in patients:
- with a structural small intestinal abnormality
- with sudden onset of diarrhoea in otherwise stable chronic disease, e.g. diabetes, Crohn's disease
- malabsorption with low vitamin B12 and normal or raised folate