World Health Concerns

Abstract

In the United States thiamine deficiency is relatively rare, and when present is usually associated with chronic alcoholism and Wernicke’s disease. In the world, however, the picture of thiamine deficiency is much different. For example, the reader is directed to a chapter in this monograph on an outbreak of thiamine deficiency in Nigeria called African Seasonal Ataxia. In these cases, thiamine deficiency was caused by eating beetle larvae which contained a thiaminase. Many hundreds of cases were reported. Other outbreaks of thiamine deficiency have occurred from eating white cereals or from eating polished rice. Outbreaks of thiamine deficiency have recently been associated with food ration distributions. These food aid distributions usually contain food stuffs not well balanced. When consumed by people already semi-deficient, overt thiamine deficiency can appear quickly.