Search

Background/Objectives: Women of reproductive age are reported to be the largest population that practises geophagia. The short-term and long-term health related conditions originating from the practise of geophagia are often not understood by geophagic women of reproductive age. This study has explored the health-related experiences of geophagia among women of reproductive age of Tshwane District, Gauteng Province. Methods: This was a qualitative study design following inductive thematic content analysis. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data using an interview guide and audio record. Data collection took place in 2023. Results: Mental health disorders, pregnancy complications, appendicitis, cancers, breathing complications, fatigue, premature deaths, worms, piles, and nutrients deficiencies were reported as some of the health-related challenges and diseases experienced by women of reproductive age of Tshwane District, Gauteng Province resulting from the practise of geophagia. Conclusions: The practise of geophagia was associated with various negative health outcomes. The reproductive health statuses of women of reproductive age were negatively impacted by the practise of geophagia affecting maternal and childhood mortalities and morbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deliberate consumption of soil (geophagia) is reported to be an old practice and not restricted to any particular age, gender or race group. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of geophagic practices and causative reasons for geophagia in the Sekhukhune area, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study also discovered different geophagia sites where soil is obtained within the villages. Data was obtained through a cross-sectional study using 200 participants (males and females), between the ages of 18 and 65 years living in two Sekhukhune villages. Geophagia was reported by 172 (86%) consumers from the 200 participants, of which 143 (71.5%) in the study were mostly single and 164 (82%) only had secondary level of schooling. A total of 129 (74.9%) consumers reported consuming the soil for more than five years and 122 (71%) consumed more than once a day. The traditional name for edible soil is mobu in the villages. It was also reported that craving from 81 (47%) consumers was the main reason for the practice and 166 (96.4%) preferred to collect their soils in the wild. Of the 172 consumers, 112 (65.4%) did not know that the soil they were consuming could be harmful, however 107 (62%) reported that constipation might be caused by the practice. It became clear that the practice is entrenched in the cultural behaviour of the people of this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Introduction: Previous studies of soil eating, or geophagia, among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa indicate the practice is widespread. Various explanations have been explored to explain the global phenomenon of soil eating, with the most compelling explanation focused on clay's ability to prevent or treat intestinal infection. The urban South African context for clay eating is not well understood. This paper explores clay consumption amongst pregnant migrants who are nationals of countries where clay consumption may be common.Methods: I conducted in-depth interviews with a purposively selected group of Somali, Congolese, and Zimbabwean women (n = 23). Interviews included questions broadly related to maternal and infant nutrition. In addition, I conducted nine focus group discussions (n = 48) with adult Somali, Congolese (DRC), and Zimbabwean men (N = 3) and women (N = 6), segregated by country of origin and gender. This paper focuses specifically on responses related to geophagia.Results: While Somali women did not report consuming clay or charcoal, Congolese and Zimbabwean participants self-reported commonly consuming clay during pregnancy, and at times also when not pregnant. Despite having heard public health messaging that discouraged the practice, participants largely did not describe this consumption in terms of health, but rather in terms of craving and habit. Participants described continued consumption of clay in South Africa, and the only reason for ceasing consumption was in cases of severe constipation.Discussion: The widespread consumption of clay soil by Congolese and Zimbabwean women during pregnancy may be a mechanism through which identity was reasserted and reproduced in a foreign country. Participants' emphasis on clay consumption seemed related to the absence or expense of other craved foods, and perhaps also to feelings of loss in Cape Town. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mixed research method was used to investigate the prevalence of geophagia and to determine the practices of geophagia and the perceptions of the soil consumers in Mkhanyakude District. A survey of 94 literate women between the age 14-65years was conducted with key informant interviews and soil analysis complementing each other. Only 3% of the participants were pregnant during the interviews and about 83% of the participants consumed between 57-884g of soil more than once per day. Of the 94 participants, a startling 39% were geophagia for more than 10 years. As opposed to other studies, 97% none- pregnant women who participated in this study confessed to be geophagias and proclaimed to be addicted. More so about 60.9% (women) family members of these participants were consumers of soil. Soil consumption was enjoyed for taste & smell. Moreover, it was perceived to be good for pregnant women to satisfy cravings. Conversely, it was negatively perceived as an addiction that posed adverse effects on human health. The addiction condition requires an urgent health education intervention. Furthermore, there is a need to train the community about the safe and healthy ways of processing the soil to reduce risks of microbial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophagia is practised in many parts of the world and can be associated with medicinal treatments, ceremonial events and spiritual behaviours/practices. This is the first report on a systematic investigation and description of the bacterial diversity in soil regularly ingested by geophagic individuals using a culture-independent method. Diversity in 17 different mining sites was investigated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Genetic material from Pantoea, Stenotrophomonas, Listeria, Rhodococcus and Sphingomonads was present in most of the soil samples. Species from these genera are recognised, potential or immerging human pathogens, and are of special interest in immune-compromised individuals. Other genera able to produce a variety of bacteriocins and antimicrobial/antifungal substances inhibitory towards food borne pathogens (Dactylosporangium and Bacillus) and able to degrade a range of environmental pollutants and toxins (Duganella and Massilia) were also present. These essential insights provide the platform for adjusting culturing strategies to isolate specific bacteria, further phylogenetic studies and microbial mining prospect for bacterial species of possible economic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specific enzootic form of geophagia (the deliberate ingestion of soil) occurs in young cattle and sheep in restricted areas of the Barkley-West, Postmasburg and Vryburg Districts of the Northern Cape- and North West Provinces of the Republic of South Africa. It results in severe, subacute to chronic hepatitis and jaundice, with a high mortality rate in untreated cases. An association between the disease and high concentrations of manganese in soils was shown since all the affected farms are situated on outcrops of the Reivilo Formation of the Campbell Rand Subgroup, which consists mainly of manganiferous dolomite. Furthermore high concentrations of manganese were found in the analysis of liver specimens from affected calves and the characteristic microscopic pathological changes in the liver could be induced experimentally in a calf and lamb by oral administration of manganese sulphate. The highest incidence of geophagia occurs at 7 to 14 days, whereas calves older than about 2 months are rarely affected. The symptoms usually start with intermittent, progressive geophagia, followed by constipation, dehydration and death within ca. 7–10 days in untreated cases. Young calves and lambs display an insatiable appetite for soil and sometimes lick iron poles. The treatment of calves by the parenteral injection of commercial iron-dextran- and vitamin B12 preparations at 1 to 2 days after birth, and at 14 days of age, at the registered therapeutic doses, appeared to have a marked preventative effect on the occurrence of geophagia and its complications. Regional geochemical maps show a northeast–southwest trending anomaly in MnO, Zn and Pb, visually correlating with the distribution of the affected farms. Anomalously high distributions of Pb and Zn are also spatially related to the Pering (Pb,Zn) Mine. In this study, two farms were selected for comparative purposes. Gam, a farm situated on the Reivilo Formation of the Campbellrand Subgroup was chosen where a high incidence of geophagia occurred, as well as the farm Holpan on the Lyttelton Formation of the Malmani Subgroup where the problem was not known to be present. The farm Holpan was chosen as a control area, and is situated close to an old manganese mine on dolomite with a high MnO content. Geographically, Holpan is situated in an area with a high rainfall, with leaching and the formation of deep red soils on the dolomite, together with a hilly relief and low soil pHH2O. Gam is situated in an area with lower rainfall, where precipitation would be less than evapotranspiration. The dolomite of the Malmani Subgroup and the Reivilo Formation are significantly different in their soil geochemistry. The MnO, Fe2O3T and Co contents are significantly higher in the soils of the Malmani Subgroup than in the Reivilo Formation. The MnO, Zn and Pb contents on Gam are higher than on Holpan, whereas the Fe2O3T and Co contents are lower. Soil on Holpan contains iron-minerals such as haematite, while no iron minerals were detected in the soils of Gam. The concretions, found in the soils on both farms, differs remarkably in iron-contents. Concretions on both farms have similar high concentrations of MnO, whereas the FeO content are low for the concretions on Gam and high for Holpan. Preliminary comparative analytical results of the colostrum, sampled from cows with new born calves within three days of birth, do not entirely reflect the soil geochemistry of the different farms. Whereas the soils on Gam have higher MnO, Zn and Pb, and lower Fe2O3T and Co than Holpan, the colostrum produced on Gam has lower Mn, Fe and Co than on Holpan. The Pb and Zn concentrations in the colostrum on both farms do not differ significantly. The comparative regional geochemical soil data, together with the colostrum data, suggest that young calves on the farm Gam probably suffer from Fe and Co deficiency. Conversely, it was illustrated that the Fe and Co content in the soils are high and the Fe is abundant in the concretions on the farm Holpan. These findings, together with the apparent absence of geophagia at Holpan, as well as the observed effect of iron and cobalt supplementation in the prevention of geophagia on the farm Gam, suggests an association of geophagia with iron and cobalt deficiencies on the farm Gam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the granulometric properties, mineralogical composition and concentrations of major and trace element oxides of commonly ingested soils (geophagic soil) collected from different countries with a view of understanding how varied they may be in these properties and to understand the possible health implications of ingesting them. Soil samples were collected from three different countries (South Africa, Swaziland and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)) and their granulometric properties, concentrations of major and trace element oxides as well as mineralogical composition determined. Differences were observed in the granulometric properties of geophagic soil from the three different countries with most of them having <20% clay content. The soils also showed varied degrees of weathering with values of Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW) being between 60% and 99.9% respectively. The mineral assemblages of the soils from South Africa and Swaziland were dominated by the primary minerals quartz and feldspar whereas soils from DRC had more of kaolinite, a secondary mineral than primary minerals. Soils from DRC were associated with silt, clay, Al2O3, and CIA unlike most samples from South Africa which were associated with SiO2, sand, K2O, CaO, and MgO. The soils from Swaziland were closely associated with silt, H2O and Fe2O3(t). These associations reflect the mineralogy of the samples. These soils are not likely to serve as nutrient supplements because of the low concentrations of the nutrient elements contained. The coarse texture of the samples may also result in dental destruction during mastication. Sieving of the soils before ingestion to remove coarse particles is recommended to reduce the potential health threat associated with the ingestion of coarse-textured soils.