Pellagra

Pellagra is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin B3 (also known as vitamin PP deficiency), also known as niacin, and the amino acid tryptophan. The disease manifests with dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. Vitamin B3 is abundant in lean meat, poultry, fish, and nuts. Additionally, vitamin B3 can be synthesized from tryptophan, which is found in abundance in milk and eggs. In developed countries, pellagra is very rare due to dietary diversity and food fortification, but outbreaks still occur in parts of Africa, India, and China, particularly in refugee camps and remote areas where diets may rely heavily on maize and are less varied.

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