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Nutritional Status as a modifier of the effect of Vitamin A or Zinc Supplementation on Gastrointestinal Parasite Infections in Mexican Children
Author(s) -
SanchezHernandez J. Johanna,
Long Kurt,
Mamun Abdullah Al,
Rosado Jorge L,
Caamaño Maria del Carmen,
Marks Geoffrey
Publication year - 2011
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.25.1_supplement.343.1
Childhood nutritional status may modify the efficacy of micronutrient supplementation on infectious disease outcomes. Our study evaluated whether nutritional status, as indicated by height‐for age z scores (HAZ) and weight‐for‐age z scores (WAZ), modifies A. lumbricoides, E. Histolytica, and G. lamblia infection durations among vitamin A or zinc supplemented Mexican children. A total of 707 children living in a periurban community of Mexico City, between 6 and 15 months of age, were randomized to receive vitamin A, zinc, a combined vitamin A and zinc supplement, or a placebo. Changes in infection durations for the 3 parasites determined in monthly collected stools were modelled for 4 categories of HAZ and WAZ using parametric regression. In the vitamin A treatment arm, A. lumbricoides infection durations were significantly increased in children with the lowest HAZ scores (18.67 ± 29.18 days) and reduced in children with the highest HAZ scores (1 ± 0 days, p<0.01). In vitamin A‐zinc treatment arm, G. lamblia infection durations were significantly increased in children with the highest HAZ scores (p<0.01) and reduced in children with the and highest WAZ scores (p<0.01). Our results suggest that childhood nutritional status modifies the effect zinc or vitamin A supplementation has on gastrointestinal parasite outcomes.