[Chronic diarrhea as the main symptom of histiocytosis X].

A chronic diarrhea accompanied by vomiting and weight loss was the major symptom in a one-year-old infant during a fulminant course of histiocytosis X. The diagnosis was suggested by the radiologic evidence of alternating dilated and stenotic segments in the small and large bowel as well by a massive intestinal protein loss and the presence of histiocytes in the mucosa and submucosa of the rectum. The histological picture of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, obtained during a diagnostic laparotomy, confirmed the diagnosis.