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What is the history of pellagra?
Pellagra was first identified among Spanish peasants by Don Gaspar Casal in 1735. A loathsome skin disease, it was called “mal de la rosa” and often mistaken for leprosy. Pellagra has sometimes been called the disease of the four D’s – dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia, and death.
What was the biggest factor contributing to the end of the pellagra epidemic in the American South in the 1940s?
Despite compelling evidence, his hypothesis remained controversial and unconfirmed until 1937. The near elimination of pellagra by the end of the 1940s (Figure 2) has been attributed to improved diet and health associated with economic recovery during the 1940s and to the enrichment of flour with niacin.
Why do we rarely see pellagra in the United States today?
By the 1950s, pellagra had nearly vanished, and although rarely seen today, pellagra continues to occur in the context of malabsorption (i.e., Crohn’s disease; Hui et al., 2017), alcoholism (Luthe and Sato, 2017), malnutrition, (i.e., eating disorders) and exposure to certain medications (i.e., azathioprine, isoniazid; …
What did Dr Goldberg think was the cause of pellagra?
Joseph Goldberger discovered the cause of pellagra, a disease resulting from a diet deficient in vitamin B.
How was pellagra cured?
Though he identified that a missing nutritional element was responsible for pellagra, he did not discover the specific vitamin responsible. In 1937, Conrad Elvehjem, a biochemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, showed that the vitamin niacin cured pellagra (manifested as black tongue) in dogs.
Where is pellagra most commonly found?
Pellagra is common in poor parts of the world, such as Africa and India, where corn (or maize) is a staple food. This is because corn is a poor source of tryptophan and niacin. In the United States, pellagra was prevalent in the early 1900’s in the South where corn played a large role in the diet.
What caused pellagra epidemic?
Pellagra, a nutritional deficiency disease caused by the lack of vitamin B3 (niacin) in the diet, is characterized by the four-d’s: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and in some cases death. It is a global disease affecting places where the population diet is primarily maize-based.
Can pellagra be prevented?
The primary prevention of pellagra involves an adequate diet. Food sources of niacin and/or tryptophan include nutritional yeast, eggs, bran, peanuts, meat, poultry, fish with red meat, cereals (especially fortified cereals), legumes, and seeds.
How can pellagra be prevented?
Is pellagra serious?
Pellagra is a serious condition that’s caused by low levels of niacin, due to either malnutrition or an absorption problem. If left untreated, it can cause death.
What is pellagra caused by?
Pellagra is a disease caused by low levels of niacin, also known as vitamin B-3. It’s marked by dementia, diarrhea, and dermatitis, also known as “the three Ds”.
What is the pellagra story?
Pellagra was first identified among Spanish peasants by Don Gaspar Casal in 1735. A loathsome skin disease, it was called mal de la rosa and often mistaken for leprosy. Although it was not conclusively identified in the United States until 1907, there are reports of illness that could be pellagra as far back as the 1820s.
Who is at risk of pellagra?
People at risk for pellagra include those with a poor diet that is lacking in niacin and/or tryptophan. Pellagra can also result from a disease, disorder or condition that affects the absorption or processing of niacin in the body. This is called secondary pellagra.
What is pellagra in children?
Typically, pellagra is an adult disease , with no sexual or racial predilection. It rarely occurs during infancy. Adolescents and young children can develop pellagra if they have a faulty diet. In the past, kwashiorkor has been mistaken as infantile pellagra. Pellagra is caused by a deficiency in niacin.