The acute phase response affected traditional measures of micronutrient status in rural Zambian children during a randomized, controlled feeding trial.

The acute phase response (APR) to infection can alter blood-based indicators of micronutrient status. Data from a 3-mo randomized, controlled feeding trial in rural Zambian children (n = 181, aged 3-5 y) were used to determine the impact of the APR on indicators of vitamin A and iron status using baseline and final blood samples. Concentrations of acute phase proteins were categorized as raised C-reactive protein (CRP; >5 and >10 mg/L) only, both raised CRP and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP; >1.

Vitamin A intake and infection are associated with plasma retinol among pre-school children in rural Zambia.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, infection and adequacy of vitamin A intakes among Zambian children, and the contribution of dietary vitamin A and infection to vitamin A status.

Design: A cross-sectional survey of vitamin A intakes by the 24 h recall method, vitamin A status by plasma retinol and the modified relative dose-response test, and infection by acute-phase proteins.

Setting: Rural communities in Central and Eastern Provinces of Zambia.

High prevalent and incident HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus 2 infection among male migrant and non-migrant sugar farm workers in Zambia.

Background: More insight is needed regarding risk factors for prevalent and incident HIV-1 infection among male farm workers in Sub-Saharan Africa to control the HIV-1 epidemic.

Methods: Male farm workers were recruited from a sugar estate in Zambia to participate in a prospective cohort study. Questionnaire data were collected via interview, and testing was conducted for HIV-1, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and syphilis infection at baseline and follow-up between May 2006 and September 2007.

A micronutrient-fortified food enhances iron and selenium status of Zambian infants but has limited efficacy on zinc.

Micronutrient-fortified, cereal-based infant foods are recommended for reducing multiple micronutrient deficiencies in low-income countries, but their nutritional quality is not always optimal. In a double-blind randomized trial, we compared the efficacy of a locally produced porridge based on maize, beans, bambaranuts, and groundnuts fortified with 19 (rich) or 9 (basal) micronutrients. Infants aged 6 mo from Lusaka, Zambia were randomized to receive the richly fortified (n = 373) or basal (n = 370) porridge daily for 12 mo along with routine vitamin A supplements.