Antibiotic-responsive malabsorption: a tropical sprue-like syndrome in countries with temperate climates.
Antibiotic-responsive malabsorption is prevalent in the tropics, but has been seen only sporadically in countries with temperate climates. We describe a 19-year-old Israeli patient who has never left the country and was hospitalized with shigellosis and malabsorption of fat and D-xylose. A short course of ampicillin reversed the malabsorption. The syndrome of antibiotic-responsive malabsorption in countries with temperate climates may well be underdiagnosed and should be looked for more actively.
D000328:Adult; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002980:Climate; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007557:Israel; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013182:Sprue, Tropical / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014994:Xylose / Q000378:metabolism
D000667:Ampicillin; D014994:Xylose