SYMPTOMATIC ZINC-DEFICIENCY IN BREAST-FED TERM AND PREMATURE-INFANTS

Two 9-month-old exclusively breast-fed infants, one born at full-term and the other born prematurely, developed symptomatic zinc deficiency manifested by an acrodermatitis enteropathica-like eruption. Inadequat e breast milk zinc was demonstrated in both cases. A rapid clinical re sponse followed oral zinc supplementation after which their serum zinc levels returned to normal. The infants remained asymptomatic followin g cessation of zinc therapy. Reports of similar cases suggest that in a group of infants breast milk does not meet their nutritional zinc re quirements. Inadequate bread milk zinc is thought to result from a def ect in transfer of zinc from maternal serum to breast milk.