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Vitamin A absorption in children with ascariasis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

F. Ahmed ,
M. Mohiduzzaman  and
A. A. Jackson
F. Ahmed
Affiliation:
Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 100, Bangladesh
M. Mohiduzzaman
Affiliation:
Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 100, Bangladesh
A. A. Jackson
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton SO9 3TU
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Abstract

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The effect of Ascaris lumbricoides infection on retinol absorption was investigated in young children from a slum area of Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Twenty-four children aged 4–10 years were screened and in every case eggs of either Ascaris, Trichuris or hookworm were isolated from the stool. The average serum retinol was 0.91 (sd 0.35) μmol/l and sixteen children had levels below 1.05 μmol/l. This compared with a serum retinol concentration of 1.70 (sd 0.52) μmol/l in five reference children from a more privileged social background. An oral dose of retinol (41.8 μmol) was given, to ten children in whom the concentration of Ascaris eggs in the stool varied. Less than 1% of the supplement could be recovered in the stools collected over the following 48 h. Ascaris worms were isolated from the stool and assayed for retinol content. In no case was retinol detected in the worms. These findings do not support the contention that infection with Ascaris predisposes to malabsorption of vitamin A.

Keywords

Vitamin AChildhoodAscariasis
Type
Vitamin Metabolism
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , May 1993 , pp. 817 - 825
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1993

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