oral rehydration salts + zinc

Oral rehydration salts + zinc (ORS + zinc) is a co-packaged public health intervention recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for the treatment and management of acute diarrheal disease, particularly in children under five years of age. The combination consists of two active components: oral rehydration salts (ORS), a mixture of electrolytes (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, and glucose) that prevents and treats dehydration by exploiting the sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) in the intestinal mucosa to facilitate water and electrolyte absorption; and zinc supplementation (typically zinc sulfate or zinc gluconate), which reduces the duration and severity of diarrheal episodes and lowers the risk of subsequent infections by activating the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), stimulating sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3), and improving immune and epithelial repair pathways. In community-based trials, such as those sponsored by Wageningen University & Research in rural Sierra Leone, ORS + zinc is distributed as part of a bundled preventive health package alongside routine childhood immunizations, HPV vaccination, deworming, vitamin A, and chlorination tablets to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality.

Other names

ORS + zincORSZco-packaged ORS and zincoral rehydration salts and zinc