Microvillus inclusion disease | |
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Other names | Davidson's disease |
Microvillus inclusion disease has an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. |
Microvillus inclusion disease, previously known as Davidson's disease, congenital microvillus atrophy and, less specifically, microvillus atrophy (note: microvillus is often misspelled as microvillous), is a rare genetic disorder of the small intestine that is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.[1][2]
It is characterized by chronic, intractable diarrhea in new-born infants, starting in the first few days of life.[3] This results in metabolic acidosis and severe dehydration. Pregnancy and birth are usually normal.[citation needed]
It is caused by a congenital villus atrophy, atrophy of apical microvilli and intracellular accumulation of apical enzymes and transporters in the epithelial cells of the small intestine.[4] MVID is in most cases caused by mutations in the MYO5B gene. A minority of cases involves mutations in the STX3 gene.[citation needed]
Prenatal screening in utero is currently offered by several medical centers since the gene(s) involved in the disease were recently discovered to be MYO5B;[5][6] Diagnosis is typically made by biopsy of the small intestine.[1]
The appearance of microvillous inclusion disease on light microscopy is similar to celiac sprue; however, it usually lacks the intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration characteristic of celiac sprue and stains positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).[2] The definitive diagnosis is dependent on electron microscopy.[7]
The differential diagnosis of chronic and intractable diarrhea is:[8]
It is nearly always fatal unless, like short bowel syndrome patients, treated with parenteral nutrition or an intestinal transplant.[3] The patient is often classified as being in "intestinal failure" and treated with the cohort of patients known as "short bowel syndrome" patients.[citation needed]
One patient from the UK was documented as achieving nutritional independence at age 3.[9] On 26 June 2009, a six-year-old girl with microvillus inclusion disease became the third person in the UK to die of swine flu. This was attributed to her weakened immune system.[10]
Microvillus inclusion disease is extremely rare, however, no prevalence data have been published. An estimate of a few hundred children with the disease in Europe has been made but no time frame to which this count applies is given. Countries with a higher degrees of consanguinity experience higher prevalence rates due to its autosomal recessive transmission.[11]
Microvillus inclusion disease was first described in 1978 by Davidson et al.[12] It was originally described as familial enteropathy.[citation needed]