Pathologic findings from intestinal biopsy specimens in human cholera

A histopathologic study of the jejunal biopsy specimens obtained from 6 patients with cholera was carried out. The cultures of their rectal swabs were all positive forVibrio cholerae. These studies demonstrated pathologic desquamation and necrosis of intestinal villi as well as degenerative changes. It was clarified that epithelial desquamation in cholera was not due to postmortem autolysis nor terminal vascular collapse. Abundant mucus was found in the lumens of the crypts, and the intestinal villi were coated with mucus. The authors wish to emphasize that rice watery stool is due to multiple pathologic desquamation and necrosis of intestinal epithelium, as well as to hypersecretion of epithelial cells and excessive production of mucus in the crypts.