Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0002895 (sickle cell disease)
 11,747 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To study the etiology of chronic childhood diarrhea among Nigerian children, 142 patients, aged 6 months to 5 years, with diarrhea for at least 1 month, were evaluated; the study took place during January-December 1983 at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Northern Nigeria. Enteropathogenic agents were identified in stools of 90 (63%) patients. Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica were most commonly detected, representing 41% and 23%, respectively, of all parasitic pathogens. In children with negative stool microscopy, chronic diarrhea was associated with primary lactose intolerance (2 cases), abdominal tuberculosis (2 cases), hyponatremia, low serum albumin, anemia due to sickle cell disease, or Staphylococcus aureus infection. In contrast with chronic diarrhea etiologies reported among children in Europe and North America, infections were the major cause of chronic childhood diarrhea among these children. In general, it is accepted that intestinal infection usually produces acute diarrhea--and that, if the host fails to mount a competent immune response, if there is repeated exposure to infectious agents, or if severe infection damages a substantial proportion of absorptive cells, then severe, protracted diarrhea may result. The high case fatality rate of 9% in this series was associated with specific infectious complications of septicemia, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia and measles. Severe malnutrition also worsened the prognosis in chronic diarrhea. The results indicate that early detection and treatment of amebiasis and giardiasis is a useful approach in the treatment of chronic diarrhea cases among children.
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PMID:Chronic diarrhoea in Nigerian children. 383 11

Acute diarrhoea is consistently the number one presentation to secondary care facilities on U.K. military operational deployments. It can result in potentially life threatening consequences as seen on Operation Herrick in 2002, where a Norwalk-like virus caused 3 cases o f meningo-encephalitis. Due to t he circumstances of communalaccommodation, ablutions and dining facilities, even mild cases are admitted at role 2, and personnel are not discharged until fully recovered in order to prevent potential outbreaks. This literature review examines the management of acute diarrhoea in healthy adults relating to UK military operations, and presents a management algorithm suitable for any theatre. The importance of the initial assessment is highlighted and allows the severity of the condition to be assessed using three key parameters. We recommend the selective use of stool culturing for severe cases and outbreaks. The use of oral re-hydration solutions vs. intravenous fluids, and the indication for the safe use of anti motility agents and antibiotics for diarrhoea are discussed. Where pathogens are yielded local sensitivities should guide the choice of treatment. Salmonella spp and Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) should receive supportive care only.
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PMID:The management of acute diarrhoea in a healthy adult population deploying on military operations. 2039 67

The essentiality of zinc was recognized 46 years ago. Zinc deficiency resulting in growth retardation, hypogonadism, immune dysfunction and cognitive impairment affects nearly 2 billion subjects in the developing world. High phytate content of the cereal proteins consumed in the developing world, results in decreased availability of zinc for absorption. Zinc therapy has been very successful and life saving measure in patients with acrodermatitis enteropathica and Wilson's disease. Beneficial therapeutic responses of zinc supplementation have been ovserved in acute diarrhea in children, chronic hepatitis C, shigellosis, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and common cold. Zinc supplementation was effective in decreasing incidences of infection in elderly and patients with sickle cell disease. Zinc supplementation was effective in preventing blindness in 25% of the elderly with dry type of age related macular degeneration. Zinc supplementation in the elderly decreased oxidative stress and decreased generation of inflammatory cytokines. Zinc is an intracellular signaling molecule in monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages and it plays an important role in cell-mediated immune functions and oxidative stress. Zinc is also an anti-inflammatory agent. These unique properties of zinc may have significant therapeutic benefits in several diseases in humans. In many diseases concurrent zinc deficiency may complicate the clinical features, affect adversely immunological status, increase oxidative stress and increase generation of inflammatory cytokines. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation may play important causative roles in many chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, several malignancies, neurological disorders, and auto-immune diseases. It is therefore, important that status of zinc is assessed and zinc deficiency corrected in these chronic diseases. A controlled clinical trial of zinc supplementation in these disorders in order to document the preventive and therapeutic effects of zinc is warranted.
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PMID:Impact of the discovery of human zinc deficiency on health. 2015 May 99

Essentiality of zinc for humans and its deficiency was recognized in 1963. During the past 50 years, it has become apparent that deficiency of zinc in humans is prevalent. Nutritional deficiency of zinc may affect nearly 2 billion subjects in the developing world. Consumption of cereal proteins high in phytate decreases the availability of zinc for absorption. Conditioned deficiency of zinc is also very common. Growth retardation, hypogonadism in males, rough skin, impaired immunity, neuro-sensory disorder and cognitive impairment are some of the clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency. Zinc is involved in many biochemical functions. Over 300 enzymes require zinc for their activation and nearly 2000 transcription factors require zinc for gene expression. Zinc is essential for cell mediated immunity. Zinc is also an effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. In therapeutic dosages, zinc has been used for the treatment of acute diarrhea in infants and children, common cold, Wilson's disease, sickle cell disease and for prevention of blindness in patients with age related macular degeneration.
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PMID:Discovery of human zinc deficiency: 50 years later. 2266 33

The essentiality of zinc in humans was established in 1963. During the past 50 y, tremendous advances in both clinical and basic sciences of zinc metabolism in humans have been observed. The major factor contributing to zinc deficiency is high phytate-containing cereal protein intake in the developing world, and nearly 2 billion subjects may be zinc deficient. Conditioned deficiency of zinc has been observed in patients with malabsorption syndrome, liver disease, chronic renal disease, sickle cell disease, and other chronic illnesses. Major clinical problems resulting from zinc deficiency in humans include growth retardation; cell-mediated immune dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. In the Middle East, zinc-deficient dwarfs did not live beyond the age of 25 y, and they died because of intercurrent infections. In 1963, we knew of only 3 enzymes that required zinc for their activities, but now we know of >300 enzymes and >1000 transcription factors that are known to require zinc for their activities. Zinc is a second messenger of immune cells, and intracellular free zinc in these cells participate in signaling events. Zinc has been very successfully used as a therapeutic modality for the management of acute diarrhea in children, Wilson's disease, the common cold and for the prevention of blindness in patients with age-related dry type of macular degeneration and is very effective in decreasing the incidence of infection in the elderly. Zinc not only modulates cell-mediated immunity but is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
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PMID:Discovery of human zinc deficiency: its impact on human health and disease. 2349 34