VITAMIN-A-DEFICIENCY AMONG CHILDREN IN A PERIURBAN SOUTH-AFRICAN SETTLEMENT

Preschool children (aged 3-6 y) who were living in an informal settlem ent within metropolitan Durban, South Africa, were assessed for vitami n A status. The serum retinol concentration of 169 children tested was 0.73 +/- 0.26 mumol/L (xBAR +/- SD). Nine children (5%) had vitamin A deficiency (< 0.35 mumol/L) and 75 children (44%) had low vitamin A c oncentrations (< 0.70 mumol/L). Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) in 185 children revealed that 18% had poor vitamin A status as define d by two abnormal conjunctival specimens. The CIC test was a feasible and reproducible method; however, it correlated poorly with the tradit ionally accepted serum retinol threshold of deficiency in this populat ion where overt vitamin A deficiency is not prevalent. This survey dem onstrated that regardless of the measurement tool, there is a prevalen ce of subclinical vitamin A deficiency in this typical periurban infor mal settlement and accordingly we suggest that these children should b e targeted for vitamin A-intervention strategies.