VITAMIN-A ABSORPTION IN CHILDREN WITH ASCARIASIS

The effect of Ascaris lumbricoides infection on retinol absorption was investigated in young children from a slum area of Dhaka City, Bangla desh. Twenty-four children aged 4-10 years were screened and in every case eggs of either Ascaris, Trichuris or hookworm were isolated from the stool. The average serum retinol was 0.91 (SD 0.35) mumol/l and si xteen children had levels below 1.05 mumol/l. This compared with a ser um retinol concentration of 1.70 (SD 0.52) mumol/l in five reference c hildren from a more privileged social background. An oral dose of reti nol (41.8 mumol) was given to ten children in whom the concentration o f Ascaris eggs in the stool varied. Less than 1 % of the supplement co uld be recovered in the stools collected over the following 48 h. Asca ris worms were isolated from the stool and assayed for retinol content . In no case was retinol detected in the worms. These findings do not support the contention that infection with Ascaris predisposes to mala bsorption of vitamin A.