VITAMIN-A-DEFICIENCY AND T-CELL SUBPOPULATIONS IN CHILDREN WITH MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE

Although group A meningococcal disease is a major cause of child morbi dity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about vitami n A status and T-cell subpopulations in affected children, A prospecti ve study of vitamin A levels and T-cell subpopulations was conducted i n 41 children hospitalized for meningococcal meningitis in Butare, Rwa nda, during an epidemic from September through November, 1992. The mea n age of cases was 3.6 +/- 2.7 years (range 0.5-16 years). The case-fa tality rate was 20 per cent; 73 per cent of the children had serum vit amin A levels consistent with subclinical deficiency (< 0.7 mu mol/l), and 27 per cent had levels consistent with severe deficiency (< 0.35 mu mol/l). Mean CD4 per cent was higher and CD8 per cent was lower amo ng children with meningitis compared with known reference populations, These results suggest that meningococcal disease is characterized by T-cell subpopulation alterations and vitamin A deficiency.