Nonspecific jejunitis--a challenging problem in children.

An acute enteric infection with the pathological feature of a severe necrotising jejunitis is an uncommon condition which mainly affects young people. It is characterized by severe abdominal pain of acute onset, copious bilious vomiting, and foul smelling loose stools containing blood. Exploration revealed varying degree of ischemic changes in the small bowel (mainly the upper jejunum) ranging from mucosal ulceration to frank gangrene of the bowel. The exact etiology is not known; the condition may be due to toxins produced by gram-negative bacilli or due to a localized allergic reaction. The disease had a progressive but self-limiting course. Mortality is around 40% and considerable morbidity continuing for 2-3 wk. Presentation bears similarity to Darmbrand of Germany, Pig-bel of New Guinea, and ischemic enteritis of Thailand.