Abstract:

Background: Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under-five years of age worldwide. These children are especially prone to zinc deficiency because of increased fecal zinc loss, negative zinc balance, and low tissue zinc concentrations. However, as far as we are aware, this relationship has not been investigated in the population of North-western, Tanzania.

Objective: To establish plasma zinc levels among under-five children with and without identify 54 children aged 6-59 months with diarrhoea and 54 children without diarrhoea admitted in the Sekou-Toure hospital. Blood samples were obtained from all children and analyzed for zinc levels. Others demographic data and factors were collected using standardized questionnaire.

Results: Of 108 study participants, children with diarrhoea were 54 and without diarrhoea were 54. The overall prevalence of zinc deficiency was 24(23%). Children with diarrhoea had non-significantly lower median plasma zinc levels than children without diarrhoea (p = 0.3974). The prevalence of severe zinc deficiency was higher in children with diarrhoea 17.3% than in children without diarrhoea 11.3% (p = 0.334). Most of the children had high zinc levels above normal upper limit 55(52.4%).

Conclusion: Among the children in Sekou Toure hospital, zinc deficiency was prevalent. Children with diarrhoea had none significance lower zinc levels than children without diarrhoea. Large community study should be done to determine plasma zinc levels and justify its supplementation in children with diarrhoea.