See Also: nontropical sprue(medicine)
sprue, nontropical(medicine)
Nontropical sprue(health)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
sprue(3)(dictionary)
Sprue(medicine)
sprue-former(medicine)
sprue(1)(dictionary)
sprue(2)(dictionary)
Celiac sprue(health)

nontropical sprue (medicine)


nontropical sprue
<infectious disease> An inherited disease where the intestinal lining is inflamed in response to the ingestion of a protein known as gluten. Gluten is present in many grains including rye, oats, barley and triticale.

Symptoms in infants include diarrhoea, slow growth, bloody stools, weight loss, vomiting and clay-coloured stools. Symptoms in adults include abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, bone pain and bone tenderness. Treatment involves the life-long avoidance of gluten.