Morbidity and mortality patterns of infection among under five year's children and the effect of intervention by vit. A.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between vitamin A status and frequency of infection among infants and preschool children and evaluate the effect of intervention by vitamin A supplementation and its efficacy in reduction of infant morbidity in preschool children. Seventy children suffering from recurrent infection [46 males and 24 females], their ages ranged between 6 and 60 months, supplemented with an oral daily dose of vitamin A of 30 ug RE/kg/day for eight weeks then followed up for 10 months after supplementation. Results showed that 34 patients out of 70 [48.6%] who suffered from high frequency of infection/year [>12 time/y] significantly declined to 6 [8.5%] after intervention. Highly infected children [with CRP> 24 mg/L] were significantly dropped from 38 [54.3%] to 6 children [8.6%] after intervention. Mean values of plasma retinol was significantly increased after intervention [29.6 +/- 3.7 and 4.1 ug/dl, P<0.001]. Plasma retionol by multiple regression analysis, was the most contributing factor affecting frequency of infection in young preschool children [P<0.01]. So, it could be concluded that severity as well as frequency of infection is proportionate with serum retinol level. Supplementation by vitamin A or its food fortification must be done in less than five years children