Clinical Study Title:
Outbreak of beriberi among illegal mainland Chinese immigrants at a detention center in Taiwan.

Plain English Summary:

Beriberi is a condition that arises from deficiency of vitamin B1, also known as thiamine. This research study examined the outbreak of beriberi among inmates in Taiwan. A review of the diet of 176 inmates who had symptoms of beriberi was done, and their risk based on this information was done. Of the 176 inmates, about 19% were considered highly probable for having beriberi, and another 40% were considered a possibility for having beriberi. These patients were given thiamine supplements and the symptoms for all 176 inmates cleared up. This suggests that in situations were risk of beriberi is high, a supplement of thiamine, or Vitamin B1, should be given every day.

Authors

Chen KT. Twu SJ. Chiou ST. Pan WH. Chang HJ. Serdula MK.

Institution

Field Epidemiology Training Program, Center for Disease Control, Department of Health, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Country of Publication

United States

Source

Public Health Reports. 118(1):59-64, 2003 Jan-Feb.