Considerations on the Influence of Zinc on Infectious Diseases in Children

Nicoleta Negrut,Carmen Delia Nistor Cseppento,Simona Bungau,Ovidiu Fratila,Ana Maria Alexandra Stanescu,Dan Arsenie Spinu,Marius Rus,Diana Uivarosan,Carmen Pantis,Octavian Maghiar

doi:10.37358/rc.20.4.8098

Abstract

Zinc modulates the human body defence against infections. Mild and medium deficiency in this mineral appears usually sub-clinically, being mistaken for other diseases, but the severe form can be fatal. The purpose of the study was to determine the plasma zinc concentration (PZC) for the most common infectious pathology in children. Zinc was measured in plasma using direct colorimetric assay based on the 5-Br-PAPS method (CV% 0.98-4.64%). In the paediatric patients, 0-3 years old, the PZC values were 15.20�1.37 μmol/L, with limits ranging between 13.05-20.6 μmol/L, the values falling within normal limits and proving the absence of zinc deficiency in the investigated population. During 3 years of follow up, 137 healthy children presented low values of plasma zinc concentration if they had acute lower respiratory infections, acute otitis media or giardiasis in past medical history. There were not found significant differences in case of children with viral or bacterial acute diarrheal diseases or viral exanthemas. In the present study, the children exposed to severe, complicated or chronic forms of infectious diseases were predisposed to low plasma zinc concentrations.

Highlights

IntroductionMedical studies have demonstrated the role of zinc in maintaining the integrity and permeability of the cell membrane, the integrity of intercellular junctions and of the physiological organization of the intestinal cells’ cytoskeleton, associated with the role of preventing migration for polymorphonuclear cells [1]
Zinc modulates the nonspecific and specific immune response, at the human body level, playing a role in the metabolism of nucleic acids and in the enzymatic activity, being necessary for growth and development processes.So far, medical studies have demonstrated the role of zinc in maintaining the integrity and permeability of the cell membrane, the integrity of intercellular junctions and of the physiological organization of the intestinal cells’ cytoskeleton, associated with the role of preventing migration for polymorphonuclear cells [1]
Children who showed signs and symptoms suggestive of the disease at the time of examination were excluded from the study

Summary

Introduction

Medical studies have demonstrated the role of zinc in maintaining the integrity and permeability of the cell membrane, the integrity of intercellular junctions and of the physiological organization of the intestinal cells’ cytoskeleton, associated with the role of preventing migration for polymorphonuclear cells [1]. At the level of epithelial barriers, the role of zinc in the nonspecific immune response has been demonstrated as breaking down the intercellular junctional complexes and disorganizing the cytoskeleton, following the zinc deprivation of the organism [2]. Low concentrations of zinc were determined at the mucous membranes level in the case of patients with intestinal permeability chronic disorders. Ten days of zinc treatment, in case of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli infection in children, determines an increase in the innate immune response, and persistence of it for the 3 months after therapy [5]. The increased immune response is obtained by the synthesis of C3 complement, stimulation of polymorphonuclear cell phagocytosis, monocytes and T cell function [6,7]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion