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Endemic goitre, Pennisetum spp. and iodine
414
TRANSACTIONS OP mx ROYAL Socm~
OP TROPICAL MEDICINE MD HYGIENE, VOL. 75, No. 3, 1981. CORRESPONDENCB
References
Anthony, B. F. & Okada, D. M. (1977). The emergence of group B streptococci in infections of the newborn infant. Annual Review of Medicine, 26, 355-369.
Badri, M. S., Zawaneh, S., Cruz, A. C., Mantilla, G., Baer, H., Spellacy, W. N. & Ayoub, E. M. (1977). Rectal colonization with group B streptococci : relation to vaginal colonization of pregnant women. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 135, 308312. Baker, C. J. (1977). Summary of the workshop on nerinatal infections due to groun B strentococcus iFrom the National Institutes of Healthj. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 136. 137-152.
Baker,#Cl J., Clark, D J. d Barrett, F. F. (1973). Selective broth medium for isolation of group B streptococci. Applied Microbiology, 26, 884-885. Barry, A. L. & Sabath, L. D. (1974). Special tests; bactericidal activity and activity of antimicrobics in combination. In: Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Lennette, E. H., Spaulding, E. H. & Truant, J. I?. (Editors). Washington, D.C.: American Society for Microbiology, pp. 431-435. El Kholy, A., Wannamaker, L. W. & Krause, R. M. (1974). Simplified extraction procedure for serological grouping of beta-hemolytic streptococci. Applied Microbiology,
26, 836-839.
Ferrieri, P., Cleary, P. I’. & Seeds, A. E. (1977). Epidemio!ogy of group B streptococci carriage in pregnant women and newborn infants. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 10, 103-114.
Accepted for publication
Endemic
goitre,
11th November,
Pennisetum spp.
and
1980.
iodine
MADAM--I have read with great interest the recent communication of MCGILL & SVENSSON(1980) in the Transactions. They have shown that in the Kenva Highlands. an area of endemic goitre, the goitrous subjects -had a significant def&t in the utilization of iodine. They mentioned that although the iodine nutrition had improved after the imnlementation of an iodized salt programme (HANE&&IF, 1977) a substantial reservoir of go&e still exists. Thev incriminate fluoride as a nossible factor resnoniible for the defect in iodine utihzation. We (A~I OSMAN & WALKER, 1976; ALI OSMAN 1980‘1have shown that bullrush millet (Pennisetum typhoides) contains a goitrogenic agent. ‘The effect of this goitrogen is not counterbalanced by normal iodine supplementation, and it is responsible for the high endemicity of goitre in Western Sudan. Kikuyu grass (P. clandestinum), another species of pennisetum, might also contam this goitrogen. It covers a large area of the Kikuyu country (LIND & MORRISON, 1974) and is used for grazing. Thus milk and animal products could introduce a goitrogen into the body system of the population of the Kenya Highlands and consequently might be the major factor responsible for the defect in the metabolism of thyroid hormones. KELLY & SNEDDEN (1960), in
a review of goitre prevalence in the world, mentioned that in some areas with high goitre rates in Cameroon the young shoots of the alimentary herb “Sissongho” (P. purpureum) are much appreciated by both man and animals and it was noticed that animals also developed very large goitres. In reviewing the pattern of distribution of endemic goitre in Africa and India, the superimposition of these regions and the areas where Penniseturn species are cultivated and consumed either by animals or humans was shown to agree (ALI &vlAN,
1980).
These observations might explain the cause of high endemicity of goitre in some parts of Africa and India. I am, etc. ALI KARRAR OSMAN Dept. of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, P.O. Box 20, Wad Medani, Sudan. References
Ali Osman & Walker, R. (1976). The effect of goitrogenic agent in millet (Pennisetum typhoides) on the production of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and the thyroid gland activity of rats. Technical Report Series, No. 5, Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health, Sudan. Ali Osman (1980). A goitrogenic agent from millet contributing to the high endemicity of goitre in Western Sudan (Darfur Province) beside iodine deficiency-rat experiment. Organisation of African Unity-Symposium of Endemic Goitre in Africa-ESCAS/HN/102/7-80, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hanegraaf, T. A. C. (1977). Endemic goitre in Kenya. An intermediate evaluation of an experimental programme. East African MedicalJournal, 54, 167-173. Kelly, F. C. & Snedden, W. W. (1960). Prevalence and geographical distribution of endemic goitre. In: Endemic Goitre. World Health Organization Monograph Series, No. 44. Geneva, ppr 114-148. Lind. E. M. & Morrison, M. E. S. (1974). In: E&t African Vegetation.- London: Longman, 71 M%ill, P. E. & Svensson, E. 0. (1980). Goitre in Kenya. Quantitative studies of iodine metabolism. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 74, 197-200
Accepted for publication
A case of visceral MADAM-h
1976,
30th November, 1980.
leishmaniasis in Malawi et al. reported the first
NAIK
two cases of autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis to be recorded in Zambia. Both patients came from the Eastern Province of the country. In November 1979 a male African, aged 38 years, presented to Ekwendeni Hospital in the Northern Region of
TRANSACTIONS OP mx ROYAL Socm~
OP TROPICAL MEDICINE MD HYGIENE, VOL. 75, No. 3, 1981. CORRESPONDENCB
References
Anthony, B. F. & Okada, D. M. (1977). The emergence of group B streptococci in infections of the newborn infant. Annual Review of Medicine, 26, 355-369.
Badri, M. S., Zawaneh, S., Cruz, A. C., Mantilla, G., Baer, H., Spellacy, W. N. & Ayoub, E. M. (1977). Rectal colonization with group B streptococci : relation to vaginal colonization of pregnant women. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 135, 308312. Baker, C. J. (1977). Summary of the workshop on nerinatal infections due to groun B strentococcus iFrom the National Institutes of Healthj. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 136. 137-152.
Baker,#Cl J., Clark, D J. d Barrett, F. F. (1973). Selective broth medium for isolation of group B streptococci. Applied Microbiology, 26, 884-885. Barry, A. L. & Sabath, L. D. (1974). Special tests; bactericidal activity and activity of antimicrobics in combination. In: Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Lennette, E. H., Spaulding, E. H. & Truant, J. I?. (Editors). Washington, D.C.: American Society for Microbiology, pp. 431-435. El Kholy, A., Wannamaker, L. W. & Krause, R. M. (1974). Simplified extraction procedure for serological grouping of beta-hemolytic streptococci. Applied Microbiology,
26, 836-839.
Ferrieri, P., Cleary, P. I’. & Seeds, A. E. (1977). Epidemio!ogy of group B streptococci carriage in pregnant women and newborn infants. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 10, 103-114.
Accepted for publication
Endemic
goitre,
11th November,
Pennisetum spp.
and
1980.
iodine
MADAM--I have read with great interest the recent communication of MCGILL & SVENSSON(1980) in the Transactions. They have shown that in the Kenva Highlands. an area of endemic goitre, the goitrous subjects -had a significant def&t in the utilization of iodine. They mentioned that although the iodine nutrition had improved after the imnlementation of an iodized salt programme (HANE&&IF, 1977) a substantial reservoir of go&e still exists. Thev incriminate fluoride as a nossible factor resnoniible for the defect in iodine utihzation. We (A~I OSMAN & WALKER, 1976; ALI OSMAN 1980‘1have shown that bullrush millet (Pennisetum typhoides) contains a goitrogenic agent. ‘The effect of this goitrogen is not counterbalanced by normal iodine supplementation, and it is responsible for the high endemicity of goitre in Western Sudan. Kikuyu grass (P. clandestinum), another species of pennisetum, might also contam this goitrogen. It covers a large area of the Kikuyu country (LIND & MORRISON, 1974) and is used for grazing. Thus milk and animal products could introduce a goitrogen into the body system of the population of the Kenya Highlands and consequently might be the major factor responsible for the defect in the metabolism of thyroid hormones. KELLY & SNEDDEN (1960), in
a review of goitre prevalence in the world, mentioned that in some areas with high goitre rates in Cameroon the young shoots of the alimentary herb “Sissongho” (P. purpureum) are much appreciated by both man and animals and it was noticed that animals also developed very large goitres. In reviewing the pattern of distribution of endemic goitre in Africa and India, the superimposition of these regions and the areas where Penniseturn species are cultivated and consumed either by animals or humans was shown to agree (ALI &vlAN,
1980).
These observations might explain the cause of high endemicity of goitre in some parts of Africa and India. I am, etc. ALI KARRAR OSMAN Dept. of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, P.O. Box 20, Wad Medani, Sudan. References
Ali Osman & Walker, R. (1976). The effect of goitrogenic agent in millet (Pennisetum typhoides) on the production of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and the thyroid gland activity of rats. Technical Report Series, No. 5, Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health, Sudan. Ali Osman (1980). A goitrogenic agent from millet contributing to the high endemicity of goitre in Western Sudan (Darfur Province) beside iodine deficiency-rat experiment. Organisation of African Unity-Symposium of Endemic Goitre in Africa-ESCAS/HN/102/7-80, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hanegraaf, T. A. C. (1977). Endemic goitre in Kenya. An intermediate evaluation of an experimental programme. East African MedicalJournal, 54, 167-173. Kelly, F. C. & Snedden, W. W. (1960). Prevalence and geographical distribution of endemic goitre. In: Endemic Goitre. World Health Organization Monograph Series, No. 44. Geneva, ppr 114-148. Lind. E. M. & Morrison, M. E. S. (1974). In: E&t African Vegetation.- London: Longman, 71 M%ill, P. E. & Svensson, E. 0. (1980). Goitre in Kenya. Quantitative studies of iodine metabolism. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 74, 197-200
Accepted for publication
A case of visceral MADAM-h
1976,
30th November, 1980.
leishmaniasis in Malawi et al. reported the first
NAIK
two cases of autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis to be recorded in Zambia. Both patients came from the Eastern Province of the country. In November 1979 a male African, aged 38 years, presented to Ekwendeni Hospital in the Northern Region of