Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts
07:50

A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts

Published on: September 20, 2018

Vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia in western Yemen

D S Rosen1, Z al Sharif, M Bashir

  • 1Helen Keller International, New York, USA.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia are significant public health issues in western Yemen. Studies found low serum retinol levels and clinical signs of xerophthalmia in children aged 1-5 years.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Ophthalmology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness globally.
  • Xerophthalmia, a spectrum of ocular manifestations of vitamin A deficiency, affects vulnerable populations, particularly young children.
  • Western Yemen faces unique challenges in nutritional security and healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To ascertain the prevalence of xerophthalmia in children aged 1-5 years in western Yemen.
  • To evaluate the extent of vitamin A deficiency within this population.
  • To inform public health interventions for vitamin A supplementation and eye care.

Main Methods:

  • A stratified cluster sampling methodology was employed across 10 randomly selected districts in western Yemen.
  • Clinical examinations for xerophthalmia signs and a serum retinol level assessment were conducted on 2438 children aged 1-5 years.
  • A subsample of 338 clinically normal children and all children with xerophthalmia underwent serum retinol testing.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of night blindness was 0.5%, Bitot's spots 1.7%, corneal ulceration 0.04%, and corneal scars 0.04%.
  • Subsample analysis revealed 7.2% of children had serum retinol levels below 10 µg/dL, indicating severe deficiency.
  • A significant 63.0% of children had serum retinol levels below 20 µg/dL, signifying widespread vitamin A insufficiency.

Conclusions:

  • Xerophthalmia and vitamin A deficiency represent critical public health problems in western Yemen.
  • The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address vitamin A deficiency and prevent childhood blindness.
  • Community-based programs focusing on vitamin A supplementation and nutritional education are recommended.
Abstract

Keywords:
Age FactorsArab CountriesAsiaBiologyChildDeficiency DiseasesDemographic FactorsDeveloping CountriesDiseasesHealthHealth SurveysMalnutritionMeasurementNutrition DisordersOphthalmological EffectsPhysiologyPopulationPopulation CharacteristicsPrevalenceResearch MethodologyResearch ReportVitamin AVitaminsWestern AsiaYemenYouth

More Related Videos

Methodology for Studying Interactions of Vitamin A Membrane Receptors and Opsin Protein with their Ligands in Generating the Retinylidene Protein08:18

Methodology for Studying Interactions of Vitamin A Membrane Receptors and Opsin Protein with their Ligands in Generating the Retinylidene Protein

Published on: October 4, 2024

Establishment of A Mouse Model of Aqueous Deficiency Dry Eye05:21

Establishment of A Mouse Model of Aqueous Deficiency Dry Eye

Published on: November 1, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Accessory Structures of the Eye01:17

Accessory Structures of the Eye

Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced in our...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
Diabetic Retinopathy01:27

Diabetic Retinopathy

DefinitionDiabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes affecting the retinal blood vessels.Risk FactorsDiabetic retinopathy is present in almost all individuals with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of those with type 2 diabetes after two decades of disease.The risk increases with poor glycemic control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, pregnancy, and puberty.Although cataracts and glaucoma are also more frequent in people with diabetes, retinopathy remains the leading...