Ankle clonus and thiocyanate, linamarin, and inorganic sulphate excretion in school children in communities with konzo, Mozambique
Open Access
- 1 June 1999
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
- Vol. 45 (3) , 139-142
- https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/45.3.139
Abstract
We examined 397 school children for ankle clonus in five communities in three district affected by konzo, spastic paraparesis associated with cassava consumption. From a subsample of 131 children, we analysed urine specimens for urinary thiocyanate, linamarin, and inorganic sulphate. The proportion of children with clonus varied between sites, ranging from 4 to 22 per cent. Geometric mean thiocyanate, linamarin, and inorganic sulphate concentrations were 163 and 60 μmol/l and 4.4 mmol/l, respectively. Children with ankle clonus had higher urinary thiocyanate concentrations. We recommend prevention to reduce cyanide exposure and further monitoring of cyanide exposure and neurological damage in these communities.Keywords
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