HIV enteropathy and 'Slim disease': Historical and current perspectives.

Objectives: Chronic diarrhoea and severe wasting associated with HIV infection were first described in East African patients as slim disease (SD) in 1985. The main histological features are flattening of the villi (villous atrophy) and crypt hyperplasia (elongated crypts), i.e.

HIV enteropathy: HAART reduces HIV-induced stem cell hyperproliferation and crypt hypertrophy to normal in jejunal mucosa.

Objective: To analyse the structural and kinetic response of small intestinal crypt epithelial cells including stem cells to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Design: Crypt size and proliferative activity of transit and stem cells in jejunal mucosa were quantified using morphometric techniques.

Methods: Crypt length was measured by counting the number of enterocytes along one side of a number of crypts in each biopsy specimen and the mean crypt length was calculated.

Spectrum of MKS1 and MKS3 mutations in Meckel syndrome: a genotype-phenotype correlation. Mutation in brief #960. Online.

Meckel syndrome (MKS) is a rare autosomal recessive lethal condition characterized by central nervous system malformations (typically occipital meningoencephalocele), postaxial polydactyly, multicystic kidney dysplasia, and ductal proliferation in the portal area of the liver. MKS is genetically heterogeneous and three loci have been mapped respectively on 17q23 (MKS1), 11q13 (MKS2), and 8q24 (MKS3). Very recently, two genes have been identified: MKS1/FLJ20345 on 17q in Finnish kindreds, carrying the same intronic deletion, c.

HIV enteropathy: crypt stem and transit cell hyperproliferation induces villous atrophy in HIV/Microsporidia-infected jejunal mucosa.

Objectives: The study aim was to analyse the kinetics of stem and transit cells in the crypts of jejunal mucosa infected with HIV and Microsporidia.

Design: The size of villi, depth of crypts and proliferative activity of transit and stem cells in jejunal mucosa were measured using morphometric techniques.

Methods: The surface area/volume ratio (S/V) of jejunal biopsies was estimated under light microscopy using a Weibel graticule.