Pellagra
Description of the disease
Pellagra is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin B3 (niacin) and tryptophan. The condition is classically characterized by the “three Ds”: dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia.
Vitamin B3 is found in high amounts in lean meat, poultry, fish, and nuts. The body can also synthesize vitamin B3 from tryptophan, an amino acid abundant in milk and eggs.
In developed countries, pellagra is now very rare. However, outbreaks may still occur in parts of Africa, India, and China, particularly in refugee camps and remote regions with poor nutrition.
Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology