April 16, 2002	Tuesday	Safar 2, 1423

PARIS, April 15: Scientists say they have pinpointed genes that cause a serious intestinal disorder, marking the first time that the multiple genetic causes of a disease have been identified.

Variations in eight genes are implicated in Hirschsprung disease, a condition that affects about one newborn in 5,000, they report in research published online by the specialist journal Nature Genetics.

Individuals with Hirschsprung lack nerve cells in bowel muscles that push faecal material along the intestine and often suffer from a bloated abdomen, constipation, vomiting and bowel inflammation as a result.—Reuters