Which ONE of the following is an example of a primary malabsorption syndrome

The answer is C. Coeliac disease (gluten sensitive enteropathy) is a primary malabsorption syndrome, as are tropical sprue and Whipple's disease. The others are all causes of secondary malabsorption in that they interfere with absorption for various reasons, i.e., bacterial colonization in the blind-loop syndrome (B), severe mucosal damage in Crohn's disease (D). Pancreatic insufficiency (E) causes inadequate digestion. A-beta-lipoproteinaemia is a biochemical defect which interferes with absorption (A).