Which disease may benefit from vitamin A supplementation in young children?

• A. Measles (rubeola)
• B. Mumps
• C. Chickenpox
• D. Pertussis

Answer: (A)

Vitamin A supports the integrity of mucous membranes and the function of the immune system. In measles, a child’s vitamin A stores can be depleted, making the illness more severe and increasing the risk of complications like pneumonia, diarrhea, and eye problems that can lead to blindness. Providing high-dose vitamin A during a measles infection has been shown to reduce mortality and the severity of illness, especially in populations where vitamin A deficiency is common. That real-world benefit is why measles is the disease that may benefit from vitamin A supplementation. The other infections listed (mumps, chickenpox, pertussis) do not have the same established role for vitamin A in their standard treatment.