Nível sérico da vitamina A em crianças portadoras de leishmaniose visceral

Abstract

Vitamin A is considered an anti-infectious disease vitamin, and its deficiency is associated with severe infections such as in measles. In developing countries the low concentrations of vitamin A are a public health problem. The aim of this study is to describe serum vitamin A concentrations among children with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Blood sample was collected from 22 children with VL, and stored in a freezer, 9 siblings, with no clinical signs of the VL patients had their blood collected for a control group. Samples were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography. The median vitamin A concentration in the LV group was 21.38 microg/100ml and in the control group it was 31.39 microg/100. The mean in the LV was statistically lower than in the control group, using Student's t test, p<0.01.

Hypothetical Function of Influent Nutrients for the Immunological System in the Aspect of the Treatment of Patients with Visceral Leishmaniasis

“…This vitamin is essential for the development and function of the T cell and its supplementation is related to a decrease in the morbidity and mortality of patients who after a supplementation of this nutrient presents a better clinical prognosis. [8] In developing countries, vitamin A deficiency and parasitic infections are common and pose serious problems for public health [9]. The nutritional status of zinc is related to the direct modulating mechanisms of gene expression, from the modulation of enzymatic activity or signaling molecules that depend on the binding of zinc, which is also essential for the normal function of the immune system; in a way that the deficiency can occur, thymic atrophy, lymphopenia, decreased mitosis, immunoglobulin.…”

“…Vitamin A has several functions, such as immune system strengthening and antioxidant defense, is critical for T cell growth and function and its supplementation is associated with a drop in morbidity and mortality in infectious diseases [8].…”

A deficiência de vitamina A no Brasil: um panorama

“…Analisando o nível sérico em adolescentes portadores de leishmaniose visceral, observou-se uma redução dos teores de vitamina A quando comparados às amostras coletadas de seus irmãos. Nesse caso, aventa-se que a patologia impediu a absorção adequada do nutriente (30), reforçando o ciclo pernicioso do problema. Um trabalho com pré-escolares da região amazônica, onde foram obtidas amostras séricas e coprológicas e coletadas informações sobre os hábitos alimentares, constatou a relação entre os níveis de infestação por parasitas, hipovitaminose A sérica e consumo inadequado de fontes alimentares contendo vitamina A pré-formada (31).…”

“…Tais observações sugerem uma ação sinérgica entre os problemas nutricionais e as infecções nas regiões mal saneadas, estabelecendo um círculo vicioso cujo resultado impõe, principalmente à criança, diferentes graus de retardo em seu desenvolvimento (34). Portanto, a prevenção e controle da DVA através de programas profiláticos teria melhor impacto se contemplasse uma erradicação periódica dos vermes em crianças de comunidades pobres (19,30,31,40).…”

Asymptomatic infection in family contacts of patients with human visceral leishmaniasis in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

“…Host factors may determine this susceptibility, including nutritional status (e.g., vitamin A deficiency), host immune response, age, migrations, and co-infections such as with HIV 13,14,15,16,17 .…”