Hypovitaminosis A in Patients with Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

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Abstract
Levels of vitamin A and β-carotene in serum were studied in twelve patients with mucocutaneous candidiasis. Subnormal levels of vitamin A were found in seven patients. The remaining five patients had normal concentrations (20–70 µg/100 ml), but they were all in the lower half of the range. All 12 patients had normal levels of β-carotene. One explanation for these findings is that the enzymatic ability to cleave β-carotene (deficiency of carotenoid 15,15′-dioxygenase) may be impaired in some of these patients. The possible relationship between hypovitaminosis A and abnormal keratinization, which would make these patients' epithelia susceptible to fungal invasion, is discussed.

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