kwashiorkor

2 definitions found

kwashiorkor - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pellagra \Pel"la*gra\ (p[e^]l"l[.a]*gr[.a]), n. [It. pelle skin
     + agro rough.] (Med.)
     An affection of the skin, characterized by redness,
     especially in exposed areas, scaling and shedding of the
     skin, and accompanied with severe gastrointestinal
     disturbance and nervous symptoms. It is due to a deficiency
     of niacin (vitamin B3; nicotinic acid) and protein in the
     diet, and may be caused by malnutrition, or, in some cases,
     by a heavy dependence on maize for food. It was at one time
     (ca. 1890) endemic in Northern Italy, and was called Alpine scurvy
     . It may also be caused by alcoholism or diease
     causing an impairment of nutrition. It is also called St. Ignatius's itch
     , maidism, mal de la rosa, mal rosso,
     and psychoneurosis maidica. A variety of pellagra seen in
     children is called infantile pellagra or kwashiorkor.
     --[Stedman]
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

kwashiorkor - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  kwashiorkor
      n 1: severe malnutrition in children resulting from a diet
           excessively high in carbohydrates and low in protein