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- What is Keshan's disease?
- Symptoms of Keshan's disease
- Causes of Keshan's disease
- Prevention of Keshan's disease
- Risk factors for Keshan's disease
- Complications of Keshan's disease
- When to see a doctor about Keshan's disease
- Diagnosis of Keshan's disease
- Conventional treatment of Keshan's disease
- Alternative/complementary treatment of Keshan's disease
- Living with Keshan's disease
- Caring for someone with Keshan's disease
Keshan' disease is thought to be caused by the following:
Selenium deficiency
Keshan's disease is believed to be mainly caused by a deficiency of the mineral selenium.
Keshan's disease occurs in areas where there is a lack of selenium in the soil. Plant foods absorb the selenium from the soil and if there is a deficiency, then the plant food will also not have adequate levels.
Enterovirus infection
While selenium deficiency plays a large role in development of Keshan's disease, it is also thought that due to the seasonal and annual variation in its occurrence, this could mean that bacterial or viral infection may also be involved and studies on the Keshan area have determined that an enterovirus may be responsible, such as coxsackievirus.
Studies show that enteroviruses are mainly responsible for viral myocarditis and possibly also cardiomyopathy, two very serious complications of Keshan's disease, which can both result in heart failure if not promptly treated.
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