Bantu siderosis in Rhodesia

Buchanan, William Mackie (1968) Bantu siderosis in Rhodesia. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The thesis is divided into eight sections. SECTION I, Introduction. The term Bantu siderosis is defined and there is a short discussion on What constitutes iron overload. Previous Investigations. A review of previous work on Bantu siderosis, since it was first described by Strachan in 1929, is presented. SECTION II Incidence & Degree of Siderosis in Rhodesian Africans In a preliminary investigation, the iron content of liver, pancreas, heart and skin from autopsies on 200 Africans was assessed histologically. This was followed by a combined histo-pathological and chemical study of iron concentrations in livers and spleens of 661 Africans and 101 Europeans seen at autopsy. SECTION III Patholomical Effects of Iron on the Tissues The material used in Section II was examined to see if there was any evidence in Rhodesian Africans to support the view that the iron in the tissues of siderotios is harmful, as suggested by some South African workers. The findings are presented and discussed in conjunction with the results of experimental work on animals by other investigators. SECTION IV Distribution of Iron in the Body of Subjects with Bantu siderosis Details of iron distribution in the body, and in individual tissues, were obtained by histological examination of a large number of tissues derived from autopsies on 42 Africans with varying degrees of siderosis. The possible causes of the widespread epithelial deposits of iron, found in some cases of Bantu siderosis with fine cirrhosis, but uncommon in absence of cirrhosis, are discussed. SECTION V Iron Content of the African Diet An analysis was made of the iron content of a number of samples of cooked African food and home brewed African beer. It is concluded that there is enough iron ingested in food and beer to account for the degree of siderosis found in Rhodesian Africans. SECTION VI Serum Iron Studies The serum iron and total iron binding capacity values were estimated in 341 African out patients. This was done in an attempt to see if the raised S.I. and T.I.B.C. values, reported in some groups of Africans in South Africa, also occurred in Rhodesia. SECTION VII Experimental Work A number of investigations were carried out in an attempt to confirm or refute some of the theories relative to iron distribution in the bodies of subjects with Bantu siderosis. SECTION VIII General Discussion & Conclusions It is concluded that: 1) Bantu siderosis in Rhodesia is the same in all major respects as that found in South Africa. 2) As in South Africans, Bantu siderosis in Rhodesian Africans results from the ingestion of large amounts of iron in cooked food and home-brewed beer. 3) Bantu siderosis and idiopathic haelochromatosis can be distinguished from one another by the iron distribution in the tissues, even when fine eirrhosis is present in the former. 4) Probably high percentage saturation of transferrin is the most important single factor in producing widespread epithelial deposits of iron in certain cases of Bantu siderosis. An alternative theory is discussed. 5) Probably iron in the tissues is almost inert and therefore does not produce hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis but, in very severe cases, does lower the resistance of the body to infection. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: K G Gadd
• Keywords: Physiology
• Date of Award: 1968
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1968-73720
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jun 2019 08:56
• Last Modified: 14 Jun 2019 08:56
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/73720