In necrotizing enterocolitis, the lining of the intestinal wall dies and the tissue sloughs off. The cause for this disorder is unknown, but it is thought that a decreased blood flow to the bowel keeps the bowel from producing the normal protective mucus. Bacteria in the intestine may also be a cause. At risk are small, premature infants, infants who are fed concentrated formulas, infants in a nursery where an outbreak has occured (suggesting an infectious cause), and infants who have received blood exchange transfusions.
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