Schubarth P
Hôpital régional, Division de médecine interne, Delémont Schweizerisches Tropeninstitut, Bereich Gesundheitswesen und Epidemiologie, Basel.
Ther Umsch. 1994 Jul;51(7):510-6.
Vitamin A deficiency is frequent in the tropics. It causes xerophthalamia, which, in severe cases, can develop into corneal ulceration, keratomalacia and blindness and increases morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases in infants and children. Vitamin A deficiency can be reduced by the promotion of a nutrition rich in vitamin A, by fortification of food with vitamin A and by high-dose vitamin A supplementation. Other vitamin deficiency disorders are rare or occur only in limited areas or in disadvantaged people. In refugee camps, scurvy, beriberi, pellagra and xerophthalamia occur. Travelers from developed countries are rarely affected by vitamin deficiency disorders, if they eat regularly the large variety of fruits and vegetables usually available in tropical countries. Their vitamin stocks are anyhow sufficient for several weeks.
维生素A缺乏症在热带地区很常见。它会导致干眼病，严重时可发展为角膜溃疡、角膜软化症和失明，并增加婴幼儿传染病的发病率和死亡率。通过推广富含维生素A的营养饮食、在食物中强化维生素A以及补充大剂量维生素A，可以减少维生素A缺乏症。其他维生素缺乏症较为罕见，或仅发生在有限地区或弱势群体中。在难民营中，会出现坏血病、脚气病、糙皮病和干眼病。来自发达国家的旅行者如果经常食用热带国家通常能买到的各种水果和蔬菜，很少会受到维生素缺乏症的影响。无论如何，他们的维生素储备足以维持数周。
