Oscar Brunser Tesarschu, Argentine-born Chilean pediatric gastroenterologist (Buenos Aires 24 November 1935 –

From Moldavian father

Authored relevant studies about jejunal mucosa in infant malnutrition-mental

With A. Reid, O. Brunser, A. Maccioni & I. Contreras. Jejunal biopsies in infant malnutrition with special reference to mitotic index. Pediatrics 38:605-12, 1966

With A. Reid, O. Brunser, A. Maccioni & I. Contreras. Jejunal mucosa in infant malnutrition. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 21:976-83, 1968

Showed that tropical sprue was an infection consequence

With S. Eidelman & F.A. Klipstein. Intestinal morphology in rural Haitians. A comparison between overt tropical sprue and asymptomatic subjects. Gastroenterol. 58:665-8, 1970

First to describe striated or brush border of intestinal epithelial cell

With J.H. Luft. Fine estructure of the apex of the absorptive cell from rat small intestine. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 31:291-311, 1970

Proposed requirement 170 calories for survival

With C. Castillo & M. Araya. Fine structure of the small intestinal mucosa in infantile marasmic malnutrition. Gastroenterology 70:495-507, 1976

Distinguished marasmus from kwashiorkor

With O. Brunser, G. Donoso, H. Flores, A. Maccioni, M. Perretta & A. Stekel. Marasmus y kwashiorkor. Dos entidades clinicas diferentes (1988)

Authored one of the first papers about probiotics

With M. Araya, J. Espinoza, P.R. Guesry, M.C. Secretin & I. Pacheco. Effect of an acified milk on diarrhoea and the carrier state in infants of low socio-economic stratum. Acta Paediat. Scand. 78(2):259-64, 1989

Developed a lactose-low milk

With M. Araya, J. Espinoza, S. Cruchet & J.I. Pacheco. Ensayo de una leche con bajo contenido de lactosa en la realimentación de lactantes con diarrea. Rev. Chil. Pediat. 61:94-9, 1990

Showed that addition of nucleotides to milky formulations prevent diarhoeas

With J. Espinoza, M. Araya, S. Cruchet & A. Gil. Effect of dietary nucleotide supplementation on diarrhoeal disease in infants. Acta Paediatrica p. 188-91, 1994

HONOURS / MEMBERSHIP

Member, International Advisory Committee, International Institute for Infant Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Disease, New York, USA (1985-90)