Some patients may develop lactose intolerance following an episode of gastroenteritis.
Clinical features:
(1) The patient has an episode of enteritis.
(2) The patient had no evidence of lactose intolerance prior to the enteritis.
(3) The patient has evidence of lactose intolerance after the episode of enteritis.
(4) Other explanations for symptoms are excluded, especially pre-existing lactose intolerance.
This tends to be diagnosed more often in children than adults.
The lactose intolerance may be transient.
It is important to distinguish lactose intolerance secondary to the enteritis from pre-existing lactose intolerance not recognized before.
A positive hydrogen breath test can help to confirm lactose intolerance but will not distinguish post-enteritis lactose intolerance from pre-existing lactose intolerance.
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