by A condition that killed millions of sailors between the 16th and 18th centuries has resurfaced, and it looks set to become more prevalent in regions of the world you’d least expect to see it.
Scurvy, caused by vitamin C deficiency, is back in the news after a 51-year-old Australian man was admitted to hospital with an acute case of the condition which, until recent years, was rare in industrialized Western countries. .
The man came up to the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in the Capital City of Western Australia in Perth with a painful rash on his legs that spread across his body and he underwent a series of tests to find out why his blood vessels were so inflamed.
BMJ Case Reports
Although the man had blood in his urine as well as the symptoms of anaemia, extensive tests showed no evidence of autoimmune or blood disorders, or internal bleeding. And it wasn’t until he was questioned about his diet that it became clear that his symptoms matched those of scurvy – a condition that may be on the rise in rich countries as more people face cost-of-living pressures. more people.
“Further history revealed that the patient’s living circumstances were poor,” the medical researchers noted. “He had financial constraints and therefore neglected his diet. His meals consisted mostly of processed food, no vegetables or fruit. Sometimes he wouldn’t eat meals, which happened more often In recent weeks he also stopped taking the vitamin and mineral supplements prescribed after gastric bypass surgery because he couldn’t afford them.
The patient eventually recovered, after daily vitamin C (1,000 mg), vitamin D3, folic acid and multivitamin supplements, but scurvy can be fatal if left untreated. As vitamin C is essential for wound healing, maintaining the immune system and bone regeneration, a poor diet for a month can trigger the condition, with early warning signs including a painful rash, swelling in the legs, increased fatigue and rash. It can then progress and become fatal due to infection and bleeding.
Although it killed millions of sailors hundreds of years ago, it rarely happened in developed countries like the USA and Australia. However, researchers believe that scurvy is making a comeback due to dietary compromises resulting from the increased cost of living and lack of affordable foods rich in vitamin C.
And US comedian Matt Storrs recently recounted his brush with scurvy as a college student.
@mtstorrs I was very dumb as a college freshman but he made me so excited to share your story on @TheMoth this week #scéal #scurvy #fypシ #collegelife #medicalmystery ♬ original sound – Matt Storrs
“In the human diet, 90% of vitamin C comes from citrus fruits and vegetables such as sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes,” researchers noted in a 2022 study. “Thermal treatment can increase the vitamin C content of food It takes 40-90 days of persistent hypovitaminosis C for clear scurvy to develop, but clinical manifestations can appear within 30 days of dietary vitamin C insufficiency.”
Although scurvy hasn’t really gone away – populations at risk include those with alcoholism or eating disorders, bariatric surgery patients and the elderly – researchers are concerned that this ‘Renaissance disease’ is starting to spread in to have much wider.
“Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries,” the researchers noted.
In a July 2024 paper, US researchers found that pediatric scurvy cases had tripled between 2016 and 2020. And within these figures, they found that those most at risk had other health conditions, including includes obesity and autism spectrum disorder, as well as low. socio-economic status.
The good news, however, is that scurvy is easy to fight and symptoms can be alleviated within 24 hours. But the medical team who treated the 51-year-old Australian say more awareness – among healthcare professionals and the general public – will ultimately save the day. And taking into account the importance of vitamin C intake will help prevent the need for medical intervention.
“The treatment for scurvy is vitamin C supplementation,” they said. “In children, the recommendation is 100 mg of ascorbic acid three times a day for one week and then once a day for several weeks until they have fully recovered. Adults are treated with 300-1,000 mg every day for a month. The response to vitamin C supplementation is often dramatic, as in our case even a single replacement dose of vitamin C can stop gastrointestinal bleeding, and capillary stability is established within 24 hours. as skin lesions, to heal.
“Clinicians should be aware of this fatal but treatable condition that may still occur in this modern age,” they concluded.
The study was published in BMJ Case Reports.
Source: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital via Scimex
