Vitamin A Deficiency: Health, Survival, and Vision

Abstract

This book on vitamin A deficiency not only addresses ocular manifestations but also the broader context of child health and survival. The introduction examines the historical and modern perspectives of vitamin deficiency what vitamin A is and the relationship of xerophthalmia (severe vitamin A deficiency) to vitamin A status. The second section of the book discusses consequences of vitamin A deficiency. Chapter 2 looks at mortality associated with moderate to severe deficiency and the fact that vitamin A supplementation reduces preschool-age mortality and measles mortality. Chapter 3 covers infectious morbidity particularly diarrhea measles respiratory disease urinary tract infection otitis and other infections (e.g. HIV). Chapter 4 examines ocular manifestations (xerophthalmia keratomalacia night blindness and conjunctiva). The effect of vitamin A on anemia and iron metabolism and the extent of vitamin A deficiency-associated anemia are discussed in chapter 5. Chapter 6 examines vitamin As role in growth in animals and children. The third section of the book is dedicated to mechanisms of vitamin A. Chapter 7 looks at contributory and precipitating events (i.e. systemic infections and protein energy malnutrition). Chapter 8 addresses the biochemistry of vitamin A and carotenoids. Chapter 9 examines the relationship between immunocompetence and vitamin A status particularly lymphoid organs and hematopoiesis cell-mediated immunity humoral immunity effect of vitamin A administration on immune response and identification of and requirements for immunoregulatory retinoids. The fourth section chapter 10 is dedicated to treatment of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia. The last section covers assessment and prevention. Chapters 11 and 12 discuss assessment of vitamin A status and epidemiology of deficiency respectively. The last three chapters examine prevention interventions: dietary interventions supplementation and fortification of dietary items with vitamin A.