?Interactions of Nutrition and Infection (disease) is a synergistic one
Malnutrition can make a person more susceptible to infection, and infection also contributes to malnutrition, which causes a vicious cycle. An inadequate dietary intake leads to weight loss, lowered immunity, mucosal damage, invasion by pathogens, and impaired growth and development in children
A sick person?s nutrition is further aggravated by diarrhea, malabsorption, loss of appetite, diversion of nutrients for the immune response, and urinary nitrogen loss, all of which lead to nutrient losses and further damage to defense mechanisms.
These, in turn, cause reduced dietary intake. In addition, fever increases both energy and micronutrient requirements. Malaria and influenza, for example, have mortality rates proportionate to the degree of malnutrition
Titany answered the question on
May 5, 2022 at 06:33