title: Recurrent aphthous ulceration with zinc deficiency and cellular immune deficiency.
abstract: Zinc deficiency (serum zinc level 65 micrograms/dl) and cellular immune deficiency (confirmed by lymphoblastic transformation assay) were found in a 15-year-old boy who had had recurrent aphthous ulceration for 6 years. Despite the previous therapy (orally administered steroid, isoprinosine, interferon, lysozyme, and local treatment), the ulcers recurred monthly. After 3 months of zinc therapy (50 mg zinc sulfate orally three times daily) the aphthae disappeared and did not reappear for 1 year. The lymphoblastic transformation activity and serum zinc levels were also normalized with this treatment.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Buda, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Endre
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D015032:Zinc