A 44-year-old woman comes to the clinic due to chronic watery diarrhea with uncomfortable abdominal pain and flatulence. She has a history of long standing type I diabetes mellitus. physical examinations are normal. An upper endoscopy is done in which a jejunal aspiration was taken and the culture of the aspirate reveals 10,000 colony-forming units/mL of Bacteroides species. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's current symptoms?

Question

A 44-year-old woman comes to the clinic due to chronic watery diarrhea with uncomfortable abdominal pain and flatulence. She has a history of long standing type I diabetes mellitus. physical examinations are normal. An upper endoscopy is done in which a jejunal aspiration was taken and the culture of the aspirate reveals >10,000 colony-forming units/mL of Bacteroides species. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's current symptoms?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is caused by bacterial proliferation in the small intestine.  In normal individuals, intestinal peristalsis clears bacteria and reduces the reflux of colonic organisms into the small bowel; however, patients with impaired gut motility have an increased risk for bacterial overgrowth.

A 44-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Clinic Due to Chronic