title: Xerophthalmia in a traditional Quran boarding school in Sudan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of xerophthalmia at a traditional boarding school where children do not receive a diet adequate in vitamin A.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of 406 males residing in a Quranic traditional school was conducted using the World Health Organization xerophthalmia checklist. The association between the prevalence of night blindness and proportion of students staying at the school for 6 consecutive months and those eating solely at the school was investigated. The difference in age between children with night blindness and those without was investigated. Statistical significance was indicated by P<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of night blindness, conjunctival xerosis and Bitot's spots was 24%, 12.5% and 1%, respectively. None of the boys had corneal ulceration, corneal scars and corneal xerosis. No significant association was observed between the differences in mean age and development of night blindness (P=0.657). There was a significant association between the duration of stay (cut-off of 6 months continuously) at the institute and the development of night blindness (P=0.023). There was no statistical significance between regularly eating at the maseed and outside the "maseed" and the development of night blindness (P=0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children residing at a traditional school are vulnerable to developing xerophthalmia where the diet is inadequate in vitamin A. Institutional caregivers should be made aware of the importance of providing a balanced diet rich in vitamin A. Institutional caregivers should also be educated on the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency for early detection of xerophthalmia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors.forename: Abdelmoneim E M
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kheir
authors.forename: Tarig O M O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Dirar
authors.forename: Haifa O M
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Elhassan
authors.forename: Maha A H
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Elshikh
authors.forename: Mohamed B M
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abbass
authors.forename: Salma S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Idris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*