Pediatric Environmental Enteropathy : from dysbiosis to malnutrition

This seminar developed the characteristics of a syndrome affecting the small intestine due to the presence of massive dysbiosis in the duodeno-jejunum. This enteropathy, responsible for malnutrition, causes growth retardation and delayed psychomotor development. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is poorly understood, so preventive and therapeutic interventions are currently limited. This seminar presents a study coordinated by our laboratory in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, where the disease is highly prevalent. This study identified the composition of duodenal dysbiosis in these children and showed that it was dominated, totally unexpectedly, by oral and pharyngeal flora, totally changing the physiopathological paradigm and offering preventive solutions.