Scurvy, a disease once associated with pirates and long sea voyages, is making an unexpected comeback among American children.
A recent study found that cases have more than tripled in just five years, suggesting a “troubling rise” in this diet-based disorder.
A ‘Troubling’ Return
A comprehensive review in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons analyzed data from almost 19.5 million pediatric patients from 2016 to 2020. The study, published in July, found scurvy incidence in children increased from 8.2 to 26.7 cases per 100,000. The average age of patients was just over 2 years.
George Citroner
Author
George Citroner reports on health and medicine, covering topics that include cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. He was awarded the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) award in 2020 for a story on osteoporosis risk in men.
