Famine in southern Ethiopia 1985-1986. Malnutrition, diarrhoea and death.

During the 1985-86 famine children from two areas in Southern Ethiopia were studied to assess a possible association between malnutrition and diarrhoeal disease. Malnutrition did not increase the incidence of diarrhoeal disease. However, malnourished children were more severely affected by the infection. Nutritional rehabilitation reduced the demand for treatment of diarrhoea and probably contributed to a decrease in crude childhood mortality.