Gut Permeability in Environmental Enteropathy

William Faubion of the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. and colleagues will develop a non-invasive test of small intestinal permeability to improve the reliability of detection of environmental enteropathy, which causes childhood growth failure. The test involves quantification of sugar absorption in urine samples using mass spectrometry, and will be validated in at risk infants in the developing world. The aim is to provide a simple, safe and inexpensive test to identify all cases of this condition on a global scale, and drive the development of preventative interventions.