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Modern scurvy
Rian A A Wijkmans1, Koen Talsma2
1Department of Surgery, Medisch Centrum Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden 8934 AD, The Netherlands rian.wijkmans@znb.nl.
Insights
Scurvy, a historical disease, is reappearing in a new patient group, challenging modern medical assumptions. This case report highlights its continued existence beyond traditional risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Medicine
- Clinical Case Reports
- Historical Epidemiology
Background:
- Scurvy historically impacted maritime populations, leading to significant mortality.
- Modern medical understanding often underestimates scurvy's prevalence in contemporary settings.
Observation:
- This case report details a patient presenting with symptoms indicative of scurvy.
- The patient's demographic and lifestyle factors differ from historical scurvy cohorts.
Findings:
- The diagnosis of scurvy was confirmed in the observed patient.
- This suggests a shift in the typical patient profile for vitamin C deficiency.
Implications:
- Re-evaluation of diagnostic criteria for scurvy in non-traditional patient groups is warranted.
- Public health awareness regarding vitamin C deficiency may need updating.
- This case underscores the importance of considering historical diseases in modern clinical practice.
Abstract:
Scurvy is a disease that played an important role in ancient history and used to be a notorious cause of death in sailors. Nowadays, scurvy is not a common diagnosis in the civilized world, but this case report indicates that this old-fashioned disease is not extinct at all and still exists but in a different patient category.
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