Response of small intestinal flora to elemental diet and pancreatic duct ligation in vervet monkey.

The small intestinal flora of vervet monkeys (cercopithecus aethiops) was examined before and after feeding elemental diet and after ligation of the pancreatic duct. Elemental diet did not produce significant changes of the intestinal microbial flora. However, an increase of the microbial count consisting mainly of Enterobacteriaceae, molds and yeasts was observed in the duct-ligated animals, significantly more pronounced than in the sham-operated controls. The data confirm previous studies demonstrating the possible role of the exocrine pancreas in the maintenance of a normal intestinal flora.