Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth - small intestine, big struggle

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays an important role in the proper functioning of the human body. The microbes present in the intestines are important for the correct functioning of the digestive tract as well as other, often distant, organs of the human body. Unfavorable conditions may lead to an imbalance of intestinal microorganisms, leading to unfavorable consequences.

Under physiological conditions, the large intestine is inhabited by a significant amount of bacteria, while the small intestine contains only a small amount of them. The appearance of pathological conditions in the gastrointestinal tract may lead to the colonization of the small intestine by an excessive amount of bacteria, which, in combination with gastrointestinal symptoms, is called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The most common symptoms associated with this disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gas.

It is difficult to diagnose this disease due to the lack of specific symptoms and imperfect diagnostic methods. The highest quality test is the microbiological test, however, due to the invasiveness of the method and the difficulties with precise collection of the material, less invasive tests are used, primarily the hydrogen breath test.

The mainstay of treatment of bacterial overgrowth is antibiotic therapy, which aims to reduce the amount of bacteria to the extent that the patient does not feel the disease. It is also important to eat a diet rich in fiber and low in fermenting oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols.

Patients with the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth rarely develop symptoms of a severe course of the disease, however, due to the unpleasant symptoms and relatively easy treatment methods, the disease should be included in the differential diagnosis in people with risk factors and present symptoms.