Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency that affected sailors and pirates centuries ago, seems to be resurfacing today thanks to the rising cost of living and the popularity of weight loss surgeryaccording to a new study.
“Scurvy is still considered a disease of the past, especially in developed countries,” Australian doctors wrote Tuesday in the journal BMJ Case Reports . “However, sporadic cases of scurvy are being detected, especially in the elderly, patients with alcoholism and children with psychiatric or developmental problems.”
In In Spain, cases of this disease have begun to be detected a few years agoespecially since 2017, when four cases were detected throughout Spain. The same happens in other European countries, such as Italy and the United Kingdom.
Doctors at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia report the case of an unemployed ex-smoker in his 50s who complained of a painful rash on both legs that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, The Washington Post reports.
Emergency staff were baffled when the unidentified man tested negative for inflammatory, autoimmune and blood diseases. Scans revealed no evidence of internal bleeding and a skin biopsy turned up no clues.
Meanwhile, His rash spread while he was in the hospital, causing more bruising, swelling and pain in both legs.
Finally, a nutritional panel showed undetectable levels of vitamin C and other nutritional deficiencies.
Doctors found the Australian’s living conditions to be “poor.”
“He had financial limitations and therefore neglected his diet. Their meals were mainly processed foods, without vegetables or fruits,” the case report reads. “Sometimes he skipped meals, which happened more frequently in recent weeks. “He had also stopped taking the vitamin and mineral supplements he had been prescribed after gastric bypass surgery because he could not afford them.”
Surgery to lose weight and scurvy
Eight years earlier, the patient had undergone a sleeve gastrectomy to remove a large portion of his stomach so he could lose weight.
After the diagnosis of scurvy, the man took 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 125 micrograms of vitamin D3, 5 milligrams of folic acid and a multivitamin daily.
A dietitian designed an eating plan and the man started eating a lemon every day. His rash subsided and there was no longer blood in his urine.
The study authors report that risk factors for scurvy include poor nutrition, gastric bypass surgery, dialysis, alcoholism, psychiatric history, and eating disorders.
“This disease is easily reversible with supplementation and a dramatic response is seen within 24 hours,” the doctors wrote. “If left untreated, catastrophic bleeding can occur, so it is essential to recognize and treat it early.”
