Scurvy - Vitamin C Deficiency

- Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans.
- The chemical name for vitamin C is Ascorbic Acid.

Causes:
- Scurvy or subclinical scurvy is caused by the lack of vitamin C. In modern Western societies, scurvy is rarely present in adults, although infants and elderly people are affected.
- All Child and Infant Supplements are provided with Vitamin C to avoid Scurvy.
- absence of feeding by the mother breast is one of the most important causes of Scurvy.

Symptoms:
- Early symptoms are malaise and lethargy.
- After 1–3 months, patients develop shortness of breath and bone pain.
- Myalgias may occur because of reduced carnitine production.
- Other symptoms include skin changes with roughness, easy bruising and petechiae, gum disease, loosening of teeth, poor wound healing, and emotional changes.
- Dry mouth and dry eyes similar to Sjögren's syndrome may occur.
- In the late stages, jaundice, generalized edema, oliguria, neuropathy, fever, convulsions, and eventual death are frequently seen.

Prevention:
- Scurvy can be prevented by a diet that includes certain citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons.

- Other sources rich in vitamin C are fruits such as blackcurrants, guava, kiwifruit,papaya, tomatoes, bell peppers, and strawberries.

- It can also be found in some vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, spinach and paprika.

Treatment:

Scurvy can be treated by eating food containing vitamin C (such as oranges, papaya, strawberries, lemon), tablets with vitamin C, etc.

Prognosis:

Untreated scurvy is invariably fatal. However, death from scurvy is rare in modern times.

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