Catalog

Neonatal nutritional zinc deficiency

No MMS code

Link to WHO Definition

Neonatal nutritional zinc deficiency – http://id.who.int/icd/entity/846542053

An eruption clinically indistinguishable from acrodermatitis enteropathica but due to nutritional deficiency rather than a genetically-determined zinc malabsorption as in the former condition. It occurs in breast-fed infants when there is insufficient zinc in the mother's breast milk to fulfil the needs of the growing infant. Premature infants appear to be at greatest risk as the have extra requirements for zinc and absorb zinc less well than mature infants. It responds rapidly and dramatically to zinc supplementation.