Are patients with G6PD Deficiency to avoid eating prawns?

Are patients with G6PD Deficiency to avoid eating prawns that have been farmed?
In his very informative editorial (March 4) Geoff Scott says “Chloramphenicol is also used in certain practices in agriculture, such as the farming of prawns” [Reference 1]. Should I, therefore, mention to my Ghanaian patients one in five males (hemizygotes) of whom were born with G6PD Deficiency [References 2-4] that eating prawns that have been farmed could lead to what Geoff Scott calls “dangers of unwanted effects” [Reference 1]?
That would increase my list [See Reference 5] from 20 to 21 of how to recognize effects of Glucose-6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency in Ghanaian hemizygotes, female heterozygotes, and the homozygotes that constitute 1 in 16 of all females at home in Ghana and in the diaspora [2].
Felix ID Konotey-Ahulu MD FRCP DTMH
Kwegryir Aggrey Disitnguished Professor of Human Genetics, University of Cape Coast, Ghana and
Consultant Physician Genetic Counsellor in Sickle and other Haemoglobinopathies, 10 Harley Street, London W1G 9PF
Email: felix@konotey-ahulu.com
Conflict of interest: None declared
1 Scott Geoff. Over the counter chloramphenicol eye drops. BMJ 2010; 340 c1016
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/340/feb26_1/c1016
2 Owusu SK. Absence of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase in red cells of an African. BMJ 1972; 4: 25-26
3 Owusu SK, Foli AK, Konotey-Ahulu FID, Janosi Marianne. Frequency of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in typhoid fever in Ghana. Lancet 1972; 1: 320
4 Owusu SK. Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in causation of disease in Ghana. Ghana Medical Journal 1974; 13: 168-170
5 Konotey-Ahulu FID. G-6PD Deficiency in Ghanaians: How to recognize it. http://blog.konotey- ahulu.com/blog/_archives/2008/1/16/3468557.html Jan 2008.
Competing interests: None declared

3 Replies to “Are patients with G6PD Deficiency to avoid eating prawns?”

  1. My daughter (8yrs old) who had SC has been healed by God. Why else would her blood cells be normal in her most recent blood work that was examined? We had been praying ever since she was 2 for God’s divine healing? We are full of praises to God because He is truly awesome!!

    1. Dear Ayishetu: Do please keep all the blood results from the young age of your daughter. To say “SC” without spelling out what you mean can be misleading. Take a look at my FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on my website http://www.sicklecell.md or http://www.konotey-ahulu.com The FAQ’s are under the heADING “The Patient”. You will then be able to state exactly what you mean by “SC”. Do yoiu mean Sicjle Cell Anaemia? That is “SS”. Do you mean Sickle Cell Haemoglobin C disease? That ois “SC”. lOOK AKSO AT MY jUNE 19 2012 World Sickle Cell Day Blog on the website, and read all the 4 articles there. If you have any queries, get back to me. Professor Felix Konotey-Ahulu MD(Lond) FRCP(Lond) DTMH(L’pool)

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