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Effect of Giardiasis on Vitamin A Status in Mexican School Children
Author(s) -
LopezTeros Veronica,
ValenciaJuillerat Mauro E,
SoteloCruz Norberto,
VazquezOrtiz Francisco,
RasconDuran Lucila,
TortoledoOrtiz Orlando,
PachecoMoreno Bertha Isabel,
MendozaBermudez Diana,
AstiazaranGarcia Humberto
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.716.8
Subject(s) - medicine , anthropometry , vitamin a deficiency , subclinical infection , vitamin , giardia lamblia , giardia , environmental health , malabsorption , body mass index , retinol , physiology , pediatrics , veterinary medicine , pathology
Objective Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a nutritional problem affecting the health of people in developing countries because VAD compromises innate and adaptive immunity, increasing a person's predisposition toward infectious diseases. In addition, a high prevalence of infectious diseases continues to be a problem in developing countries, including Giardia lamblia. Giardiasis may be related to VAD because of its ability to change the intestinal architecture, thereby compromising the absorption of vitamin A. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of giardiasis on vitamin A status in school children. Methods Thirty Giardia ‐infected school children participated in this study. Vitamin A status was evaluated at baseline during active giardiasis and six months after anti‐parasitic treatment was administered. In addition, anthropometric and dietary data were collected. Results According to anthropometric indicators (age‐appropriate Z scores for weight, height, and body mass index) the children had a normal nutritional status. Although mean dietary vitamin A adequacy was >100%, only 73% (n=22) of subjects had an adequate daily vitamin A intake. There was a significant improvement on serum retinol levels once giardiasis was treated, leading to a 64.6% reduction of subclinical VAD ( P<0.02 ). Conclusion Giardia lamblia has a negative effect on vitamin A status of Mexican school children, increasing their predisposition toward infectious diseases.