Global InformationKeshan disease information
| Keshan disease | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Cardiology |
| Symptoms | Cardiac arrhythmia, dizziness, fast breathing, shortness of breath |
| Causes | Selenium deficiency |
Keshan disease is a congestive cardiomyopathy caused by a combination of dietary deficiency of selenium and the presence of a mutated strain of Coxsackievirus, named after Keshan County of Heilongjiang province, Northeast China, where symptoms were first noted. These symptoms were later found prevalent in a wide belt extending from northeast to southwest China, all due to selenium-deficient soil. The disease peaked in 1960–1970, killing thousands of people.[1][2]
Often fatal, the disease affects children and women of child-bearing age, characterized by heart failure and pulmonary edema. Over decades, supplementation with selenium reduced this condition.[3]
It had been linked to the coxsackie B virus. Current research suggests that the lack of selenium results in a more virulent strain of the coxsackievirus becoming the dominant viral species present in the population of virus, but the mechanism of this selection event is unclear.[4][5]
Keshan disease can also lead to higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and strokes. In addition, an individual can experience eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, cataracts, alcoholism, and infections.[citation needed]
- ^ "C&en: It's Elemental: The Periodic Table - Selenium". Archived from the original on 2018-06-30. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
- ^ Westgate, Tom (1 November 2006). "A little selenium goes a long way". Education in Chemistry. Royal Society of Chemistry. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ "Office of Dietary Supplements - Selenium". Archived from the original on 2010-10-02. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
- ^ Beck MA, Levander OA, Handy J (May 2003). "Selenium deficiency and viral infection". J. Nutr. 133 (5 Suppl 1): 1463S–7S. doi:10.1093/jn/133.5.1463S. PMID 12730444.
- ^ Ren LQ, Li XJ, Li GS, Zhao ZT, Sun B, Sun F (November 2004). "Coxsackievirus B3 infection and its mutation in Keshan disease". World J. Gastroenterol. 10 (22): 3299–302. doi:10.3748/wjg.v10.i22.3299. PMC 4572299. PMID 15484304.