Anaemia, iron deficiency and susceptibility to infections.

Femke A M Jonker, Michaël Boele van Hensbroek

Journal: The Journal of infection 2015;69 Suppl 1():S23-7

PMID: 25264159

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Anaemia, iron deficiency and infections are three major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality throughout the world, although they predominantly occur in resource limited settings. As the three conditions may have the same underlying aetiologies, they often occur simultaneously and may interact. Being an essential component in erythropoiesis, iron is also essential for proper functioning of the host immune system as well as an essential nutrient for growth of various pathogens, including non-typhoid salmonella. This has resulted in a treatment dilemma in which iron is needed to treat the iron deficient anaemia and improve the immune system of the host (child), but the same treatment may also put the child at an increased, potentially fatal, infection risk.

Address: Global Child Health Group, Department of Global Health, Emma Children's Hospital/AMC, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].; Global Child Health Group, Department of Global Health, Emma Children's Hospital/AMC, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2014.08.007