title: Should infant girls receive micronutrient supplements?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have proposed the hypothesis that the combination of vitamin A supplementation and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination may be associated with increased mortality in girls. Recent zinc/folic acid (FA) and iron supplementation trials did not find any beneficial effects on mortality. We reviewed the studies for evidence of a negative interaction between zinc/folic acid/iron and DTP vaccination in girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the published papers, we calculated age- and sex-specific mortality estimates. No vaccination status data were provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both zinc/FA and iron seemed to have a sex- and age-differential effect, the effect being less beneficial in the youngest girls who are most likely to have DTP vaccine as their most recent vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Like vitamin A, zinc/FA and iron may not benefit the youngest girls. The question is whether this is inherent in girls or due to an interaction with some environmental factor like DTP.
authors.affiliation: Bandim Health Project, INDEPTH Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. cb@ssi.dk
authors.forename: Christine Stabell
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Benn
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: Ane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisker
authors.forename: Mathias Jul
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aaby
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000009:adverse effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018977:Micronutrients; D014801:Vitamin A; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc