Hypovitaminosis A

One of the early manifestations of hypovitaminosis A is a violation of the processes of differentiation and maintenance of the normal state of epithelial cells . This is expressed in the manifestation of dryness and small, scaly skin peeling, partial keratinization of the follicles , dryness and brittle hair , transverse striation of the nails . In infants, dermatitis and diaper rash easily occur.

Mucosal erosion , conjunctivitis and blepharitis , stomatitis , decreased secretion of gastric juice, increased desquamation of the epithelial cells of the renal pelvis, bladder, alteration of the intestinal mucosa epithelium, accompanied by impaired absorption and digestion of food - symptoms typical of hypoavitaminosis A.

Niktalopia (hemeralopia) is one of the most pronounced functional disorders in vitamin A deficiency. Early signs of hemeralopia are reduced vision when moving from light to dark, flickering “flies” and “light flicker”. With erased forms of hemeralopia, poor adaptability to low light is noted, which is especially noticeable in schoolchildren.

With a deficiency of vitamin A, resistance to viral and bacterial diseases decreases. Long-term hypovitaminosis A leads to a lag in physical and intellectual development.

Laboratory data : vitamin A deficiency - a decrease in its concentration in the blood below 0.7 μmol / l, carotene concentration - below 1.5 μmol / l.

Treatment is Vitamin A.

Animals of all types are sick, young animals are especially susceptible to the disease. With this disease, metabolic processes and physiological functions of the body are disrupted: the processes of active absorption of various substances from the intestine; barrier function of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract; nonspecific resistance to infections; development of nervous, cartilage, bone tissue and teeth; synthesis of steroid hormones. The main signs of hypovitaminosis A in animals of all species are the dullness of the coat, the glaze of the hoofed horn, the loss of skin elasticity, its folding, peeling of the skin, the appearance of eczematous or hairless patches of skin, lag in growth and development of young animals, night blindness ^[2] .

Pathological changes: Common signs of A-vitamin deficiency are epithelial tissue metaplasia with the development of horny dystrophy, as well as glandular atrophy. As a result, the glandular epithelium is replaced by keratinizing squamous multilayer epithelium. On this basis, infectious inflammatory and ulcerative processes occur on the mucous membranes of the eyes, respiratory tract, digestive organs, in the urinary tract and in the genitals ^[3] .