Atypical and relatively silent forms of coeliac disease (CD) have been described in insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of CD‐IDDM with serological markers and to investigate the presence of CD in the IDDM first‐degree relatives. During 1993 94 we explored 116 IDDM patients reported as new cases and 381 first‐degree relatives of IDDM patients. Determination of IgA and IgG antigliadin antibodies (AGA) and IgA antiendomysium antibodies (AEA) was made. Jejunal biopsy was performed in symptomatic patients or in those with positive serological markers, (i) Nineteen IDDM‐CD were identified and 5 were suspected. Thus, the prevalence of CD in IDDM patients was between 16.4 and 20%. AGA and/or AEA were abnormal in 13 and normal in 5. Sensitivity was 80% for the three tests when used simultaneously and specificity was 100%. (ii) In the family study, 26 sera of asymptomatic first‐degree relatives of IDDM patients were positive for at least one of the serological markers; 13 of them had villous atrophy. Systematic serological screening in IDDM allowed us to detect CD and evaluate the true incidence.

For infants, the introduction of food other than breast milk is a high risk period due to diarrheal diseases, and may be corroborated with a shift in the faecal microbiota. This longitudinal study was the first undertaken to understand the effect of the supplementation on the infant's faecal microbiota and particularly the bifidobacteria. Eleven infants were enrolled. Their faecal microbiota were analysed using temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) with bacterial and bifidobacterial primers. In parallel, bifidobacterial counts were followed using competitive PCR. Three periods were distinguished: exclusive breastfeeding (Bf period), weaning (i.e. formula-milk addition, W period) and postweaning (i.e. breastfeeding cessation, Pw period). The bifidobacterial counts were not modified, reaching 10.5 (Log10 cells g(-1) wet weight). In the TTGE profiles, the main identified bands corresponded to Escherichia coli, Ruminococcus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp., more precisely Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium breve. For both TTGE profiles, the analysis of the distance suggested a maturation of the faecal microbiota but no correlation could be established with the diet. Despite a high interindividual variability, composition of the faecal microbiota appeared more homogenous after weaning and this point may be correlated with the cessation of breastfeeding.

Young children with acute watery diarrhea, without malnutrition or associated disease, can be equally well treated with feeding of either infant formula or yogurt. Yogurt feeding is associated with a clinically relevant decrease in stool frequency and duration of diarrhea in children who have reducing sugars in stools.

Infant formulae appear to be clinically safe and effective on infant microbiota. They minimize the alteration of faecal microbiota after cessation of breast-feeding and promote bifidobacteria proportions, with a stronger effect when acidic oligosaccharides are present.

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