1. Outbreak of beri-beri in a prison in West Africa.
- Author
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de Montmollin D, MacPhail J, McMahon J, and Coninx R
- Subjects
- Adult, Africa, Western epidemiology, Beriberi classification, Beriberi diagnosis, Beriberi therapy, Cause of Death, Diet Surveys, Humans, Length of Stay statistics & numerical data, Life Style, Male, Mass Screening methods, Nutrition Assessment, Oryza, Physical Examination methods, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Thiamine therapeutic use, Beriberi epidemiology, Beriberi prevention & control, Disease Outbreaks prevention & control, Disease Outbreaks statistics & numerical data, Prisoners statistics & numerical data, Prisons statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
The International Committee of the Red Cross investigated an outbreak of beri-beri in a prison in West Africa. Twenty-five prisoners out of a total of 1020 died over a period of 11 weeks--exceeding the crude mortality rate of 1/10,000/day, a threshold for serious concern. Two hundred and eleven prisoners had clinical signs of beri-beri. An immediate response to treatment with thiamine was seen and no further deaths occurred. The triad of a positive squatting test, oedema and a diet consisting exclusively of white rice should lead to the diagnosis of beri-beri. The disease is more common than generally assumed, also in Africa and especially in prisons.
- Published
- 2002
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