title: Vitamin A deficiency and T-cell subpopulations in children with meningococcal disease.
abstract: Although group A meningococcal disease is a major cause of child morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about vitamin A status and T-cell subpopulations in affected children. A prospective study of vitamin A levels and T-cell subpopulations was conducted in 41 children hospitalized for meningococcal meningitis in Butare, Rwanda, during an epidemic from September through November, 1992. The mean age of cases was 3.6 +/- 2.7 years (range 0.5-16 years). The case-fatality rate was 20 per cent; 73 per cent of the children had serum vitamin A levels consistent with subclinical deficiency (< 0.7 mumol/l), and 27 per cent had levels consistent with severe deficiency (< 0.35 mumol/l). Mean CD4 per cent was higher and CD8 per cent was lower among children with meningitis compared with known reference populations. These results suggest that meningococcal disease is characterized by T-cell subpopulation alterations and vitamin A deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Semba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulterys
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Munyeshuli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gatsinzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dushimimana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012432:Rwanda / Q000453:epidemiology; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology