Christine LuxemburgerNicholas J. WhiteFeiko ter KuileH. M. SinghIrène Allier-FrachonMya OhnTan ChongsuphajaisiddhiFrançois NostenShoklo Malaria Research UnitMahidol UniversityJohn Radcliffe HospitalMalaria Task ForceMedecins San Frontieres2018-07-242018-07-242003-01-01Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.97, No.2 (2003), 251-255003592032-s2.0-0141464827https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/20945During a prospective evaluation of malaria prophylaxis in pregnancy in a refugee population on the north-western border of Thailand from 1987 to 1990, an extremely high infant mortality rate (18%) was documented despite good access to health care. Infantile beri-beri was recognized as the main cause of death accounting for 40% of all infant mortality. Thereafter, severe vitamin B, deficiency in infants was diagnosed and treated promptly. The impact of this was assessed prospectively from 1993 to 1996 in a second cohort study. The case fatality of infantile beri-beri fell from almost 100% to 7%. The overall infant mortality rates declined from 183 to 78 per 1000 live births. Post-neonatal deaths fell by 79% (95% CI 65-87%) while neonatal mortality remained unchanged. Mortality resulting from acute respiratory infections did not change (15 and 11 per 1000, respectively), whereas mortality attributable to beri-beri decreased from 73 to 5 per 1000 (P < 0.0001 . Before its recognition approximately 7% of all infants in this population died from infantile beri-beri. This lethal but preventable syndrome may be more common than hitherto recognized, particularly in refugee populations, in this populous region.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyArticleSCOPUS10.1016/S0035-9203(03)90134-9