[Duodenal microflora in malnourished infants with acute diarrhea, carbohydrate intolerance and cow's milk protein intolerance].

Duodenal microflora was studied in three groups of malnourished infants: I) 10 cases with acute diarrhea; II) six carbohydrate intolerant infants; III) eight cases with cow's milk protein intolerance. In all of them it was observed linear increases of overgrowing flora, with a greater incidence of Gram negative microorganisms. The greatest number of bacterial counts, with mixed flora was found in group III. In group II, "Escherichia coli" was present in all the cultured aspirates, suggesting that it was not a random fact, and could be the agent responsible of diarrhea.