A couple of sample questions and answers. Back up your answer with physiological explanations. The WHO recommends that children be given vitamin A for the prevention of measles because vitamin A functions in the immune system and is required for proper epithelial cell health. Vitamin A deficiency leads to the replacement of normal epithelial cells with keratin-producing cells. A vitamin A deficiency makes one more susceptible to infectious agents like measles.
Measles also appears to cause a secondary vitamin A deficiency.
Studies have shown that serum retinol levels are reduced. It is interesting to note that many of the characteristics of measles infection are similar to symptoms of vitamin A deficiency such as diarrhea, skin and eye changes, and respiratory distress. Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to have a dramatic effect on reducing the morbidity and mortality from measles. Describe the general chemical structure of vitamin E and the difference between its 2 major classes. Vitamin E is composed of a double ringed compound called a chromanol attached to a hydrocarbon side chain.