Infantile beriberi


Disease in infants due to deficiency of thiamine. This disease is well-known in undeveloped countries among malnourished infants but it is very rare in developed countries. It can occur if a breastfeeding mother has an inadequate intake of thiamine. The disease can also occur in infants who are fed a formula containing insufficient thiamine, as happened tragically in 2003 in Israel. The culprit was Remedia Super Soya 1, a kosher, soy-based, dairy-free baby formula used mainly by ultraorthodox Jewish families. The formula by error had inadequate thiamine. Its use left at least 2 two children dead and 15 suffering from possible brain damage. Thiamine is also known as vitamin B1.

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