scurvy

scurvy,

deficiency disorder resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the diet. Scurvy does not occur in most animals because they can synthesize their own vitamin C, but humans, other primates, guinea pigs, and a few other species lack an enzyme necessary for such synthesis and must obtain vitamin C through their diet. Vitamin C is widespread in plant tissues, with particularly high concentrations occurring in citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits); tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, and green peppers are also good sources of this vitamin.

Scurvy results in the weakening of capillaries, which causes hemorrhages into the tissues, bleeding of the gums, loosening of the teeth, anemia, and general debility. In infants there is also interference with bone development. Severe phases of the disorder can result in death. Scurvy is treated with large doses of vitamin C. Modern methods of transporting and preserving foods have made a diet rich in vitamin C available everywhere throughout the year, and even infants' diets include orange juice. Vitamin C is also available in tablet or syrup form.

Scurvy was a serious problem in the past, when fresh fruits and vegetables were not available during the winter in many parts of the world. It was especially common among sailors in the days when only nonperishable foods could be stocked aboard ship. More than half the crew of Vasco da Gama died from scurvy on his first trip (1497–99) around the Cape of Good Hope. In 1747 the Scottish naval surgeon James Lind treated scurvy-ridden sailors with lemons and oranges and obtained dramatic cures. In 1795 the British navy began to distribute regular rations of lime juice during long sea voyages (hence the name limeys for British sailors), a measure that was largely successful in preventing scurvy. It was probably the first disease to be definitely associated with a dietary deficiency.

Scurvy

a disease of man caused by a deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the diet. Scurvy frequently occurred in members of expeditions to the North, among sailing crews during long journeys, and in the general population as a result of such social upheavals as war and famine. The connection between the incidence of scurvy and poor diet was theorized long ago. For example, 16th-century Russian land and sea travelers used popular antiscorbutic remedies, for example, eating fresh meat (especially deer meat) and drinking infusions and decoctions made from coniferous needles. Research on vitamins led to the discovery of the cause of the disease—a vitamin-C deficiency that results in very low blood and urine ascorbic-acid levels and in increased permeability of the vascular walls. The main sources of vitamin C are fresh vegetables, greens, and berries and other fruits; the vitamin is destroyed by prolonged storage or cooking. Scurvy usually occurs therefore in spring and early summer.

The early symptoms of scurvy are systemic, mostly nervous, disturbances, including loss of muscle strength, ready fatigability, drowsiness, and vertigo. Later symptoms are cyanosis of the ears, nose, lips, fingers, and nails; swelling and bleeding of the gums; and loosening and loss of teeth. A characteristic sign of scurvy is petechial hemorrhage in the hair follicles, resulting in a rash that is first bright red and then blue-black. The rash occurs mostly on the legs, thighs, and buttocks. Subcutaneous and intramuscular hemorrhages also occur in bruised regions and in places rubbed by clothing. Hemorrhages may also occur in organs and body cavities (usually the pleural). Hypochromic anemia and gastrointestinal disorders (low hydrochloric acid concentration in gastric juice and constipation followed by diarrhea and bloody stools) may also develop. Resistance to colds and other infectious diseases decreases sharply, and wounds and fractures heal slowly.

Treatment consists in the ingestion of 100 mg of ascorbic acid three to five times a day for 15 to 20 days or daily intramuscular or subcutaneous injection of 200–300 mg of ascorbic acid for ten to 15 days. General prophylactic measures include a diet balanced between animal proteins and vitamin C and, in the case of an unbalanced diet, the additional ingestion of 70–100 mg of ascorbic acid daily.

REFERENCES

Efremov, V. V. Avitaminoz i gipovitaminoz C (tsinga). Moscow, 1942.
Vitaminy v pitanii i profilaktika vitaminnoi nedostatochnosti. Moscow, 1969.
Vitaminy. Moscow, 1974.

V. V. EFREMOV

scurvy

[′skər·vē] (medicine) An acute or chronic nutritional disorder due to vitamin C deficiency; characterized by weakness, subcutaneous hemorrhages, and alterations of any tissue containing collagen, ground substance, dentine, intercellular cement, or osteoid.

scurvy

a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, characterized by anaemia, spongy gums, bleeding beneath the skin, and (in infants) malformation of bones and teeth

scurvy

Scurvy

Definition

Scurvy is a condition caused by a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the diet. Signs of scurvy include tiredness, muscle weakness, joint and muscle aches, a rash on the legs, and bleeding gums. In the past, scurvy was common among sailors and other people deprived of fresh fruits and vegetables for long periods of time.

Description

Scurvy is very rare in countries where fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available and where processed foods have vitamin C added. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant vitamin involved in the development of connective tissues, lipid and vitamin metabolism, biosynthesis of neurotransmitters, immune function, and wound healing. It is found in fruits, especially citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruit, and in green leafy vegetables like broccoli and spinach. In adults, it may take several months of vitamin C deficiency before symptoms of scurvy develop.Currently, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 50-60 mg/day for adults; 35 mg/day for infants; 40-45 mg/day for children 1-14; 70 mg/day during pregnancy; and 90-95 mg/day during lactation. The body's need for vitamin C increases when a person is under stress, smoking, or taking certain medications.

Causes and symptoms

A lack of vitamin C in the diet is the primary cause of scurvy. This can occur in people on very restricted diets, who are under extreme physiological stress (for example, during an infection or after an injury), and in chronic alcoholics. Infants can develop scurvy if they are weaned from breast milk and switched to cow's milk without an additional supplement of vitamin C. Babies of mothers who took extremely high doses of vitamin C during pregnancy can develop infantile scurvy. In children, the deficiency can cause painful swelling of the legs along with fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. In adults, early signs of scurvy include feeling weak, tired, and achy. The appearance of tiny red blood-blisters to larger purplish blotches on the skin of the legs is a common symptom. Wound healing may be delayed and scars that had healed may start to break down. The gums swell and bleed easily, eventually leading to loosened teeth. Muscle and joint pain may also occur.

Diagnosis

Scurvy is often diagnosed based on the symptoms present. A dietary history showing little or no fresh fruits or vegetables are eaten may help to diagnose vitamin C deficiency. A blood test can also be used to check the level of ascorbic acid in the body.

Treatment

Adult treatment is usually 300-1,000 mg of ascorbic acid per day. Infants should be treated with 50 mg of ascorbic acid up to four times per day.

Prognosis

Treatment with vitamin C is usually successful, if the deficiency is recognized early enough. Left untreated, the condition can cause death.

Prevention

Eating foods rich in vitamin C every day prevents scurvy. A supplement containing the RDA of vitamin C will also prevent a deficiency. Infants who are being weaned from breast milk to cow's milk need a supplement containing vitamin C.

Resources

Books

Stein, Jay H., editor. "Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Deficiency." In Internal Medicine. St. Louis: Mosby, 1998.

Key terms

Ascorbic acid — Another term for vitamin C, a nutrient found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Good sources of vitamin C in the diet are citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits, berries, tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, broccoli, and spinach.Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) — The daily amount of a vitamin the average person needs to maintain good health.

scurvy

[skur´ve] a condition due to deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Symptoms of infantile scurvy include poor appetite, digestive disturbances, failure to gain weight, increasing irritability, and bruises scattered over the skin. Severe deficiency may cause changes in bone structure. The only adults in the United States likely to develop scurvy are older people who live alone and neglect their diet. In adults, scurvy causes swollen and bleeding gums, looseness of the teeth, rupture of small blood vessels, and small bruises on the skin. Later symptoms may include anemia, extreme weakness, soreness of upper and lower limbs, tachycardia, and dyspnea.

Treatment of scurvy consists of supplying the missing vitamin in prescribed doses, and supplying the proper diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables. When this is done, the symptoms quickly disappear. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C include grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, cantaloupes, strawberries, raspberries, turnips, raw cabbage, potatoes, and tomatoes.

scur·vy

(skŭr'vē), A disease marked by inanition, debility, anemia, and edema of the dependent parts; a spongy condition sometimes with ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth, hemorrhages into the skin from the mucous membranes and internal organs, and poor wound healing; due to a diet lacking vitamin C. Synonym(s): scorbutus, sea scurvy [fr. A.S. scurf]

scurvy

(skûr′vē)n. A disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and extreme weakness.

scur′vi·ly adv.scur′vi·ness n.

scurvy

Scorbutus, vitamin C deficiency Nutrition A condition characterized by weakness, anemia, gingivitis, skin hemorrhage due to ↓ vitamin C in diet, which rarely occurs in developed nations, but may be seen in older, malnurished adults. See Rebound scurvy, Vitamin C.

scur·vy

(skŭr'vē) A disease marked by inanition, debility, anemia, edema of the dependent parts, a spongy condition (sometimes with ulceration) of the gums, and hemorrhages into the skin and from the mucous membranes; attributed to a diet lacking sufficient vitamin C. [fr. A.S. scurf]

scurvy

S04-844460 (skur've) [L. scorbutus]

SCURVYA disease caused by inadequate intake of ascorbic acid, whose symptoms include fatigue; skin, joint, and gum bleeding; impaired wound healing; dry skin; lower extremity edema; follicular hyperkeratosis; and coiling of body hairs. It is rare in Western nations, where it is found primarily among alcoholics, the chronically mentally ill, and the socially isolated. It can be prevented with regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, foodstuffs that provide a rich source of dietary vitamin C. See: illustration

infantile scurvy

A form of scurvy that sometimes follows the prolonged use of condensed milk, sterilized milk, or proprietary foods that do not contain supplementary vitamin C.

Symptoms

This condition is characterized by anemia, pseudoparalysis, thickening of the bones from subperiosteal hemorrhage, ecchymoses, nonpitting edema, and a tendency toward fractures of the epiphyses.

Synonym: Barlow's disease

rebound scurvy

Ascorbic acid deficiency symptoms caused by discontinuation of megadoses of vitamin C.

scurvy

A deficiency disease caused by an inadequate intake of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). This vitamin C is needed for the formation of stable COLLAGEN; deficiency leads to weakness of small blood vessels and poor healing of wounds, and spontaneous bleeding occurs into gums, skin, joints and muscles. Treatment with large doses of ascorbic acid is rapidly effective.

scurvy

a condition in which the blood capillary walls become fragile, leading to excessive bleeding and anaemia, spongy gums with tooth loss, impaired wound healing and eventually death. Scurvy is due to a lack of ASCORBIC ACID in the diet, normal health being restored by administration of fresh fruits, particularly citrus fruits. English sailors on board ocean-going ships of the 18th and 19th centuries were supplied with citrus fruits to prevent scurvy, this habit giving them the nickname ‘limeys’.

scur·vy

(skŭr'vē) Disease marked by inanition, debility, anemia, and edema of dependent parts; sometimes causes gum ulceration and loss of teeth; due to a diet lacking vitamin C. [fr. A.S. scurf]

scurvy

scur·vy

scurvy

scur•vy

scur·vy

scurvy

scurvy

scurvy

scurvy

scurvy

scurvy,

Scurvy

REFERENCES

scurvy

scurvy

scurvy

Scurvy

Definition

Description

Causes and symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prognosis

Prevention

Resources

Books

Key terms

scurvy

scur·vy

scurvy

scurvy

scur·vy

scurvy

infantile scurvy

Symptoms

rebound scurvy

scurvy

scurvy

scur·vy

scurvy

Synonyms for scurvy

adj contemptible

Synonyms

Synonyms for scurvy

noun a condition caused by deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Synonyms

Related Words

adj of the most contemptible kind

Synonyms

Related Words