Aetiology

Often large Peyer's patches are noted at surgery, leading to the suggestion that there may be an infective aetiology for this condition. Adenovirus has been suggested. The enlarged Peyer's patches create an axis on which the process of invagination can occur. (1) Symptoms of an antecedent viral illness are identified in approximately 25% of cases of intussusception. (2)

Polyps and a Meckel's diverticulum may also predispose this condition in a similar way to enlarged Peyer's patches. Intussusception may also occur in Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Note - intussusception was diagnosed with increased frequency in children who received the first-generation rotavirus vaccine. This vaccine is no longer marketed. A subsequent monovalent rotavirus vaccine (RV1) is reported to be associated with a much lower risk of intussusception, such that the health benefits attributable to vaccination far exceed the risk of intussusception. (3)

Reference

1. Marsicovetere P, Ivatury SJ, White B, et al. Intestinal intussusception: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017 Feb;30(1):30-9.
2. Heersche S et al. Intestinal Intussusception in Adults: A Systematic Review. World J Surg. 2025 Oct;49(10):2706-2716
3. Lu HL, Ding Y, Goyal H, et al. Association between rotavirus vaccination and risk of intussusception among neonates and infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Oct 2;2(10):e1912458.