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Acrodermatitis Enteropathica and the Immunological Role of Zinc

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Immunodermatology

Part of the book series: Comprehensive Immunology ((COMIMUN,volume 7))

Abstract

The discovery that all of the symptoms of a rare but lethal human hereditary disorder—acrodermatitis enteropathica—are due to simple zinc deficiency not only confirmed that the element is essential for man but also established beyond dispute that human deficiency states occur which, unless corrected, will lead to death through combined immune deficiency. Independent confirmation of the immunological role of zinc came with the recognition that a lethal disorder affecting Friesian calves, transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait and characterized by thymic hypoplasia, is also a trace element deficiency disorder which responds promptly to simple supplementation of the animal’s diet with zinc. The symptoms of the disorder in the human infant and calf are almost identical and appear with the introduction of mixed feeding during weaning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Guy’s Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, England

    E. J. Moynahan

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  1. E. J. Moynahan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

    Bijan Safai M.D.  & Robert A. Good Ph.D., M.D.  & 

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© 1981 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Moynahan, E.J. (1981). Acrodermatitis Enteropathica and the Immunological Role of Zinc. In: Safai, B., Good, R.A. (eds) Immunodermatology. Comprehensive Immunology, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7228-2_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7228-2_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-7230-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-7228-2

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