Childhood malnutrition: toward an understanding of infections, inflammation, and antimicrobials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Undernutrition in childhood is estimated to cause 3.1 million child deaths annually through a potentiating effect on common infectious diseases, such as pneumonia and diarrhea. In turn, overt and subclinical infections, and inflammation, especially in the gut, alter nutrient intake, absorption, secretion, diversion, catabolism, and expenditure.

Objective

A narrative overview of the current understanding of infections, inflammation, and antimicrobials in relation to childhood malnutrition.

Methods

Searches for pivotal papers were conducted using PUBMED 1966-January 2013; hand searches of the references of retrieved literature; discussions with experts; and personal experience from the field.

Results

Although the epidemiological evidence for increased

SUBMITTER: Jones KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4257992 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature