Symptomatic zinc deficiency in a full-term breast-fed infant.

A nine-month-old female infant presented with an eruption over her face, perineal region, and upper and lower limbs. She had sparse hair growth and diarrhea. Clinical features and investigations were suggestive of hypozincemia. Therapy with zinc and weaning from breastfeeding led to resolution of the condition, confirming a diagnosis of hypozincemia type-II. Recently, a mutation in the zinc transporter gene SLC30A2 (ZnT-2), identified in the mothers of infants suffering from this disorder, is implicated as the cause. This report highlights the occurrence of hypozincemia among a population at risk, consisting of infants who are exclusively breast-fed for a prolonged period.