Abstract:
Noma (Cancrum oris), a severe gangrene that eats both soft and hard tissue
of the mouth and face, is usually seen in the developing countries due to
poverty, mal-nutrition and poor hygiene. Serum Vitamin A and Iron levels of
26 Cancrum oris patients, aged 4 months to 47 years attending Noma
Children Hospital Sokota-Nigeria were assessed. Vitamin A level was
estimated spectrophotometry by ultraviolet irradiation method while serum
iron was determined by spectrophotomeric method. The mean serum Vitamin
A and Iron of the patients were 11.9 ±3.5flgldl and 73.7± 6.6flgldl
respectively. The results were significantly lower (p< 0.05) in the noma
patients compared with apparently healthy "non noma". Up to 31% and 58%
of noma patients had severe « 1Oug/dl) vitamin A deficiency, and marginal
(55-75flgldl) iron deficiency respectively. The analysis of the result also
indicated a Significant (p<0.05) positive correlation between Vitamin A and
iron levels in both groups studied. The result suggests that micronutrient
(iron and Vitamin A) deficiencies are prevalent among noma patients
