Vitamin A deficiency: a serious threat in Dodota district in central Ethiopia.
A total of 147 children, aged from six months to six years were examined for signs of xerophthalmia in a village in Arsi zone of Ethiopia. Night blindness, Bitot's spots, corneal ulceration and corneal scars were observed in 17.0%, 26.5%, 2.7% and 0.7% of the children respectively. The concentration of serum retinol was measured in all children with xerophthalmia and every twentieth of the remaining children. Serum retinol levels were in the deficient range (< 0.35 mumol/I) in 31.9% and low (0.35-0.69 mumol/I) in 48.9% of the children. There was a higher prevalence of stunting (24.5%) than wasting (18.4%) with an additional 10.2% of children being both stunted and wasted. The prevalence of diarrhoea was twice as high in children with xerophthalmia than children without (p < 0.01).
Tafesse
Y
Y
Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Fisseha
T
T
Umeta
M
M
Hidar
J
J
Teka
W
W
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000209:etiology