Microvillous

Surgeons performed the multi-organ transplant because of a disease that affects the 15-month-old girl's digestive system, impairing her ability to absorb nutrients from food. They say the rare condition known as microvillous inclusion disease is fatal, if not treated.

The study speculated that long rod-shaped bacteria found between the microvillous epithelial cells could be considered as long-term residents within the bacterial community of the midgut due to its locality in the midgut and the healthy appearance of epithelia in contact with the bacteria [55 ].