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Carences en folates (vitamine B9): vers une politique de santé publique en Afrique

Folate metabolism (vitamin B9): towards a public health policy in africa

  • Published:
Journal Africain d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie

Résumé

Cette revue fait la synthèse des récentes connaissances sur les carences en folates et leur impact sur la santé humaine. La carence en folates (vitamine B9) est une préoccupation majeure en termes de santé publique dans le monde. L’accès limité aux ressources alimentaires et la pauvreté accentuent particulièrement cette préoccupation dans les pays du sud. Les folates sont impliqués dans la synthèse des acides nucléiques (ADN, ARN), dans les processus de méthylation et dans le contrôle du taux de synthèse de l’homocystéine. De ce fait, leur carence est associée à l’apparition d’anomalies fœtales invalidantes et létales, aux risques de cancer, de troubles vasculaires et neurologiques. Outre la malnutrition, des facteurs environnementaux (contaminants alimentaires, alcool), des maladies infectieuses telles que la malaria et des déterminants génétiques du métabolisme des folates sont des facteurs prédictifs qui doivent être au cœur des préoccupations en matière de politique de santé publique en Afrique.

Abstract

Folate deficiency is a major concern in terms of public health across the world. Limited access to food resources and poverty accentuate this problem in southern countries. Folate is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids (ADN, ARN), methylation processes and control of the rate of homocysteine synthesis. Consequently, folate deficiency is associated with crippling and lethal foetal abnormalities, risk of cancer and vascular and neurological disorders. In addition to dietary folate deficiency, environmental factors (food contaminants, alcohol), infectious diseases (malaria) and genetic determinants of folate metabolism are predictive factors that need to be taken into account in public health policies in Africa.

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  1. UPSP : Expression des gènes et régulation épigénétiques par l’aliment, Institut polytechnique Lasalle-Beauvais et Inserm U724, Rue Pierre-Waguet, F-60026, Beauvais cedex, France

    A. Chango

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Chango, A. Carences en folates (vitamine B9): vers une politique de santé publique en Afrique. J Afr Hepato Gastroenterol 2, 5–12 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12157-008-0037-x

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