A disease that once claimed the lives of millions of sailors may be making a comeback due to the cost of living crisis, doctors have warned.
Scurvy, caused by a vitamin C deficiency, plagued Renaissance era seamen who relied on a diet of nonperishable foods such as biscuits, salt beef, pork, cheese and fish.
Now, modern money woes, along with the popularity of bariatric weight loss surgery, are feared to be fuelling an increase in cases.
Writing in the journal BMJ case reports, medics from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia described the concerning case of a man in his early 50s who suddenly developed a painful rash of tiny red-brown pinpoints on his legs.
The anonymous patient also had blood in his urine and had low levels of healthy red blood cells.
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The medics wrote: “Further history revealed that the patient’s living circumstances were poor. He had financial constraints and therefore neglected his diet.
“His meals mostly comprised processed food, lacking in vegetables or fruit. Sometimes he would skip meals, which occurred more frequently in recent weeks.
“He had also stopped taking the vitamin and mineral supplements prescribed following gastric bypass surgery as he was unable to afford them.”
The report comes amid rising concern about the return of diseases of the past including scurvy, measles, scabies and rickets.
Provisional NHS data for 2022-23 showed that 171 people were admitted to hospital with a primary or secondary diagnosis of scurvy. Admissions have risen in recent years after consistently sitting below 100 per year before 2014.
A poor diet, malnutrition, drinking too much alcohol, obesity and smoking are among factors that can increase risk of scurvy.
Patients who have undergone bariatric weight loss surgery are also at increased risk due to dietary changes and possible reductions in the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Surgeon James Lind solved the mystery of scurvy in 1947 when he conducted an experiment on board a naval ship which showed that oranges and lemons could help treat it.
The Aussie medics took a leaf out of Lind’s book – and their patient started eating a lemon daily.
He was also prescribed vitamin C and D supplements, folic acid and multivitamins, and developed a meal plan with a dietician.
The prevalence of scurvy is unclear and it is “still relatively rare”, the doctors said. But they noted that the cost of food had risen by around 5.9% over the past year in Australia, “making it harder for families to afford meals”.
Their report added: “The increasing cost of living means that people are more reliant on lower-cost foods, which tend to be poor in nutritional value.
“Clinicians should be aware of this fatal but easily curable condition that may still occur in this modern age.”
