Vitamin A deficiency: a serious threat in Dodota district in central Ethiopia

A total of 147 children, aged from six months to six years were examined for signs of xerophthalmia in a village in Arsi zone of Ethiopia. Night blindness, Bitot's spots, corneal ulceration and corneal scars were observed in 17.0%, 26.5%, 2.7% and 0.7% of the children respectively. The concentration of serum retinol was measured in all children with xerophthalmia and every twentieth of the remaining children. Serum retinol levels were in the deficient range (< 0.35 mumol/I) in 31.9% and low (0.35-0.69 mumol/I) in 48.9% of the children. There was a higher prevalence of stunting (24.5%) than wasting (18.4%) with an additional 10.2% of children being both stunted and wasted. The prevalence of diarrhoea was twice as high in children with xerophthalmia than children without (p < 0.01).