Signs of the disease can appear as little as four weeks after consuming less than 10mg of vitamin C per day.
While the disease is treated as a historical illness in developed countries, sporadic cases still occur in the elderly, alcoholics and children with developmental issues.
Doctors at Sir Charles Gairdner have used the rare case, now detailed in the British Medical Journal’s (BMJ) Case Reports, to raise concerns about the impact of the rising cost of living and the risks of poor dietary habits.
Doctor Andrew Dermawan said the illness may be going undiagnosed and urged clinicians to be aware it could still occur in the modern age and could be fatal.
“The rising cost of food is making it harder for families to afford meals,” he said.
“The increasing cost of living means that people are more reliant on lower cost foods, which tend to be poor in nutritional value.”
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed food and non-alcoholic beverage prices had risen 3.4 per cent in the 12 months to August, with the cost of fruit and vegetables climbing a whopping 9.6 per cent after poor weather conditions strangled supply.
Citrus fruits, tomatoes, capsicum, broccoli, spinach, kale, and berries are among the best sources of vitamin C.
The Australian Medical Association WA was contacted for comment.
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