INCREASED PROTEIN-ABSORPTION AFTER ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN

We investigated the intestinal absorption of the macromolecule human alpha-lactalbumin during and after an episode of acute gastroenteritis in children. Twenty children were studied in the acute phase and 17 excreted rotavirus. Eleven children were studied again 5-8 weeks later (convalescent phase). Human alpha-lactalbumin serum concentrations in the acute phase were similar but in the convalescent phase they were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than those in the reference children. The serum concentrations were also higher in the convalescent than in the acute phase (p = 0.021). This study suggests that there is an increased absorption of proteins from the gut into the circulation 5-8 weeks after rotavirus gastroenteritis.