lactase deficiency

Epidemiology

• most common cause of osmotic diarrhea

Pathology

• deficiency of lactose
  • may occur secondary to recent food poisoning or gastroenteritis

Clinical manifestations

• lactose intolerance
• osmotic diarrhea

Management

• improvement after exclusion of dietary lactose or administration of lactase with meals confirms diagnosis

More general terms

• metabolic disease
• lactose intolerance (milk intolerance)

More specific terms

• congenital lactase deficiency; hereditary alactasia; disaccharide intolerance 2