While researching your southern family history, you find that your grandmother had a sister who died fairly young. The symptoms leading up to her death included diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. Because the family led a poor, corn-farming existence, you suspect this relative died of which of the following diseases?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pellagra is a nutritional deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin and tryptophan in the diet. Symptoms include diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia, which were mentioned in the scenario. Pellagra was prevalent in the southern United States during the early 20th century, particularly among those who relied heavily on a corn-based diet like the family described in the scenario. Scurvy, another nutritional deficiency disease, is caused by a lack of vitamin C, and would not likely be present if the family's diet was based on corn, as vitamin C is not found in significant amounts in corn. Cancer is not usually associated with the symptoms described in the scenario, and beriberi is caused by a deficiency of thiamine, which is not typically associated with the symptoms mentioned in the scenario.

While Researching Your Southern Family History, You Find That Your