Enteropathy refers to any

pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

of the

intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. T ...

. Although enteritis specifically refers to an

inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ...

of the intestine, and is thus a more specific term than "enteropathy", the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. __TOC__

Types

Specific types of enteropathy include: * Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma * Environmental enteropathy, also known as tropical enteropathy :An incompletely defined syndrome of inflammation related to the quality of the environment. Signs and symptoms include reduced absorptive capacity and reduced intestinal barrier function of the

small intestine The small intestine or small bowel is an organ (anatomy), organ in the human gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal tract where most of the #Absorption, absorption of nutrients from food takes place. It lies between the stomach and large intes ...

. It is widespread among children and adults in low- and middle-income countries. * Eosinophilic enteropathy :A condition in which

eosinophil Eosinophils, sometimes called eosinophiles or, less commonly, acidophils, are a variety of white blood cells and one of the immune system components responsible for combating multicellular parasites and certain infections in vertebrates. Along wi ...

s (a type of

white blood cell White blood cells (scientific name leukocytes), also called immune cells or immunocytes, are cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign entities. White blood cells are genera ...

) accumulate in the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

and in the blood. Eosinophil build up in the gastrointestinal tract can result in polyp formation, tissue break down,

, and

ulcers An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing ...

. *

Coeliac disease Coeliac disease (British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine. Patients develop intolerance to gluten, which is present in foods such as wheat, rye, spelt ...

malabsorption Malabsorption is a state arising from abnormality in absorption of food nutrients across the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Impairment can be of single or multiple nutrients depending on the abnormality. This may lead to malnutrition and a varie ...

syndrome precipitated by the ingestion of foods containing

gluten Gluten is a structural protein naturally found in certain Cereal, cereal grains. The term ''gluten'' usually refers to the elastic network of a wheat grain's proteins, gliadin and glutenin primarily, that forms readily with the addition of water ...

in a predisposed individual. It is characterized by inflammation of the small intestine, loss of

microvilli Microvilli (: microvillus) are microscopic cellular membrane protrusions that increase the surface area for diffusion and minimize any increase in volume, and are involved in a wide variety of functions, including absorption, secretion, cellula ...

structure, deficient

nutrient A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

absorption, and

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...

. * Human immunodeficiency virus (

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

) enteropathy :Characterized by chronic diarrhea more than one month in duration with no obvious infectious cause in an HIV-positive individual. Thought to be due to direct or indirect effects of HIV on the enteric

mucosa A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...

. * Immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy and enteropathy, X-linked (

IPEX syndrome Immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome (IPEX syndrome) is a rare autoimmune disease. It is one of the autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes. Most often, IPEX presents with autoimmune enteropathy, dermatitis (eczema), an ...

, see

FOXP3 FOXP3 (forkhead box P3), also known as scurfin, is a protein involved in immune system responses. A member of the FOX protein family, FOXP3 appears to function as a master regulator of the regulatory pathway in the development and function of r ...

) *

Protein losing enteropathy Protein losing enteropathy (PLE) is a syndrome in which Blood protein, blood proteins are lost excessively via the gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It may be caused by many different underlying diseases that damage the lining of ...

Radiation enteropathy :''(Redirected from "Pelvic Radiation Disease")'' Radiation enteropathy is a syndrome that may develop following abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy for cancer. Many affected people are cancer survivors who had treatment for cervical cancer or ...

Chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2A1 gene Chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2A1 gene is a rare autosomal recessive enteropathy that was first described in 1968.Okabe H, Sakimura M (1968) Nonspecific multiple ulcer of the small intestine. Stomach and Intestine 3: 1539–1549 This cond ...

If the condition also involves the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the upper gastrointestinal tract of Human, humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The Ancient Greek name for the stomach is ''gaster'' which is used as ''gastric'' in medical t ...

, it is known as "gastroenteropathy". In pigs, porcine proliferative enteropathy is a diarrheal disease.

References

External links

{{Authority control Gastrointestinal tract disorders