The role of vitamin A and zinc in the treatment of malaria

Does vitamin A and zinc boost children help prevent malaria? A randomized test suggests that the answer is ' YES '.

Jean-Bosco Ouedraogo of the Institute of Health Sciences (IRSS) is located in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso and his colleagues explain: Vitamin A and zinc play an important role to ensure that the immune system works normally and has can play a supporting role in reducing the risk of infectious diseases, including malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum parasites.

Every year, there are 300 to 500 million more cases of malaria worldwide, the first cause is the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. The majority of infected people live in the sub-Saharan region and this is the cause of death for about 1 million children every year. Resistance to drugs and insecticides is ineffective, making this number impossible to reduce. Moreover, people living in the area suffer from common malaria epidemics suffer from nutritional deprivation and lack of trace elements such as vitamin A and zinc also lead to serious health problems.

To find out how micronutrient deficiencies can affect malaria cases, researchers conducted a single dose of 200,000 IU of vitamin A and 10 mg of daily zinc for children aged 6 up to 72 months at Sourkoudougou village in Burkina Faso. Half of them only give alternative drugs that do not work. The team assessed the health of children daily based on signs of fever and analyzed blood samples from children with fever to find parasites.

Scientists have discovered the obvious effect of vitamin A and zinc on malaria. They said: At the end of the study, we observed a significant reduction in malaria in the group taking the booster (34%) compared to the untreated group (3.5%). Using these supplements also helps to prolong the time until the first malaria outbreaks and reduce the frequency of attacks. The team's conclusion is that 'strengthening vitamin A and zinc can play a key role in the fight against malaria among African children.'