Nayrah S. Attia
Menoufia University, Egypt
Title: Serum Level of Selenium, Zinc and Vitamin C and their Relation to the Clinical Spectrum of Leprosy
Biography
Biography: Nayrah S. Attia
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with many risk factors including food shortage which leads to nutritional deficiencies that may affect the immune system and influence the progression of leprosy. We elucidate the relation between the serum level of zinc, vit C and selenium and the clinical spectrum of leprosy. This case control study included 100 leprotic patients (50 multibacillary-50 paucibacillary) and 100 age and sex matched controls. All cases were randomly selected from the Outpatient Clinic of Kafr El Sheikh Dermatology and Leprosy Hospital. History, clinical and microbiologic examination of the lesions were done. Vitamin C, zinc and selenium measurement were done. Zinc serum level was significantly lower in paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) in controls (p-value<0.001)with no significant difference between paucibacillary and multibacillary patients(p-value= 0.142). Vit C serum level was also significantly lower in paucibacillary and multibacillary than in controls (p-value <0.001) and no significant difference between paucibacillary and multibacillary patients (p-value=0.066). Selenium level showed no significant difference between any of the 3 groups (p-value >0.05). Lower serum level of Zinc and vit C in leprosy patients may be a result of disease pathogenesis or its treatment due to their consumption, being antioxidants, or might present from the start due to malnutrition that may accelerate the development of leprosy. Serum Selenium needs further studies.