QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Black, R. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Black, R. E.

---

Supplement: 11th International Symposium on Trace Elements in Man and Animals

Zinc Deficiency, Infectious Disease and Mortality in the Developing World ^{1 ,2}

Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205

³ To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rblack{at}jhsph.edu.

Zinc deficiency places children in many low-income countries at increased risk of illness and death from infectious diseases. Randomized controlled trials of zinc supplementation provide the best estimate of this risk through demonstrated preventive benefits. In six of nine trials that evaluated prevention of diarrhea, significantly lower incidence of diarrhea occurred in the zinc group than in the controls; a pooled analysis demonstrated 18% (95% confidence interval, 7–28%) less diarrhea. In five trials, a lower rate of pneumonia infection was found in the zinc-supplemented groups, and there was some indication of a preventive effect in three trials with a clinical malaria outcome. Zinc was also found to have a therapeutic benefit in seven trials of acute diarrhea and five of persistent diarrhea. Studies to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on mortality are under way, but a recently published study from India identified a 68% reduction in mortality in small-for-gestational-age term infants that were supplemented with zinc from 1 to 9 mo of age. The important effects of zinc deficiency are now clear, and nutrition programs should address this prevalent problem.

KEY WORDS: • child nutrition • diarrhea • malaria • pneumonia • zinc

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. H. Dabbaghmanesh, A. Sadegholvaad, F. Zarei, and G. Omrani Zinc Status and Relation to Thyroid Hormone Profile in Iranian Schoolchildren J Trop Pediatr, February 1, 2008; 54(1): 58 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. Hodkinson, M. Kelly, H. D. Alexander, I. Bradbury, P. J. Robson, M. P. Bonham, J. M. O'Connor, C. Coudray, J. J. Strain, and J. M. W. Wallace Effect of Zinc Supplementation on the Immune Status of Healthy Older Individuals Aged 55-70 Years: The ZENITH Study J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., June 1, 2007; 62(6): 598 - 608. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. RICHARD, N. ZAVALETA, L. E. CAULFIELD, R. E. BLACK, R. S. WITZIG, and A. H. SHANKAR Zinc and iron supplementation and malaria, diarrhea, and respiratory infections in children in the peruvian Amazon. Am J Trop Med Hyg, July 1, 2006; 75(1): 126 - 132. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P Boran, G Tokuc, E Vagas, S Oktem, and M K Gokduman Impact of zinc supplementation in children with acute diarrhoea in Turkey Arch. Dis. Child., April 1, 2006; 91(4): 296 - 299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. H. Baqui, C. L. F. Walker, K. Zaman, S. E. Arifeen, H. R. Chowdhury, M. A. Wahed, R. E. Black, and L. E. Caulfield Weekly Iron Supplementation Does Not Block Increases in Serum Zinc Due to Weekly Zinc Supplementation in Bangladeshi Infants J. Nutr., September 1, 2005; 135(9): 2187 - 2191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. Walker, K. Kordas, R. J Stoltzfus, and R. E Black Interactive effects of iron and zinc on biochemical and functional outcomes in supplementation trials Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2005; 82(1): 5 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Qadri, A.-M. Svennerholm, A. S. G. Faruque, and R. B. Sack Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Developing Countries: Epidemiology, Microbiology, Clinical Features, Treatment, and Prevention Clin. Microbiol. Rev., July 1, 2005; 18(3): 465 - 483. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Smuts, C. J. Lombard, A. J. S. Benade, M. A. Dhansay, J. Berger, L. T. Hop, G. Lopez de Romana, J. Untoro, E. Karyadi, J. Erhardt, et al. Efficacy of a Foodlet-Based Multiple Micronutrient Supplement for Preventing Growth Faltering, Anemia, and Micronutrient Deficiency of Infants: The Four Country IRIS Trial Pooled Data Analysis J. Nutr., March 1, 2005; 135(3): 631S - 638S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F Lanata, I. Rudan, C. Boschi-Pinto, L. Tomaskovic, T. Cherian, M. Weber, and H. Campbell Methodological and quality issues in epidemiological studies of acute lower respiratory infections in children in developing countries Int. J. Epidemiol., December 1, 2004; 33(6): 1362 - 1372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Raso, A. Luginbuhl, C. A Adjoua, N. T Tian-Bi, K. D Silue, B. Matthys, P. Vounatsou, Y. Wang, M.-E. Dumas, E. Holmes, et al. Multiple parasite infections and their relationship to self-reported morbidity in a community of rural Cote d'Ivoire Int. J. Epidemiol., October 1, 2004; 33(5): 1092 - 1102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Failla Trace Elements and Host Defense: Recent Advances and Continuing Challenges J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1443S - 1447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]