Increased epithelial permeability is the primary cause for bicarbonate loss in inflamed murine colon.

Background: Bicarbonate loss into the lumen occurs during intestinal inflammation in different species. However, candidate pathways like CFTR or DRA are inhibited in the inflamed gut. This study addressed the question whether and how inflammation-associated increased intestinal permeability may result in epithelial HCO(3)(-) loss.

Essential role of the electroneutral Na+-HCO3- cotransporter NBCn1 in murine duodenal acid-base balance and colonic mucus layer build-up in vivo.

Duodenal epithelial cells need efficient defence strategies during gastric acidification of the lumen, while colonic mucosa counteracts damage by pathogens by building up a bacteria-free adherent mucus layer. Transport of HCO3(-) is considered crucial for duodenal defence against acid as well as for mucus release and expansion, but the transport pathways involved are incompletely understood. This study investigated the significance of the electroneutral Na(+)-HCO3(-) cotransporter NBCn1 for duodenal defence against acid and colonic mucus release.

Loss of downregulated in adenoma (DRA) impairs mucosal HCO3(-) secretion in murine ileocolonic inflammation.

Background: Ileocolonic luminal pH has been reported to be abnormally low in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, and one of the causative factors may be reduced epithelial HCO(3)(-) secretory rate (J(HCO3)(-)). Disturbances in J(HCO3)(-) may occur due to inflammation-induced changes in the crypt and villous architecture, or due to the effect of proinflammatory cytokines on epithelial ion transporters.

Methods: To discriminate between these possibilities, the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) overexpressing (TNF(+/ΔARE)) mouse model was chosen, which displays high proinflammatory cytokine levels in both ileum and colon, but develops only mild colonic histopathology and diarrhea.

[The outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by Norwalk like viruses in Zadar general hospital (2007)].

Objective: Early detection of clinical signs and symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and appropriate preventive measures to stop the spread of infection.

Methods: Epidemiological inspection, clinical examination of hospitalized patients followed by standard bacteriologic and virologic analysis. Norovirus antigen was detected in stool specimen by enzyme immunoassay (EIA).