title: Evaluation of vitamin A deficiency in the Yelimane Circle of Mali, west Africa.
abstract: Of 207 children (aged 4-7 years) in western Mali examined clinically and by conjunctival impression cytology (CIC), 2% had night blindness, no child had Bitot spots and 78% were found to have abnormal CIC suggesting deficiency in vitamin A. In a cohort of 53 children examined by CIC pre- and post-harvest (June and December), abnormal CIC were seen in 77.4% and 54.7%, respectively (P = 0.04). Subclinical vitamin A deficiency is a problem in this area. A seasonal variation is demonstrated. CIC is a useful method for identifying communities with subclinical vitamin A deficiency. A variety of strategies for dealing with vitamin A deficiency are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Projet Sante Oculaire, Mission Protestante, Yelimane, Mali, West Africa.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Perkins
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali / Q000453:epidemiology; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012621:Seasons; D014141:Trachoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A