galactosemia

ga·lac·to·se·mi·a   (gə-lāk'tə-sē'mē-ə)    n.  An inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the deficiency of an enzyme that is necessary for the metabolism of galactose. The disorder results in elevated levels of galactose in the blood and, if untreated, can lead to mental retardation and eye and liver abnormalities. ga·lac'to·se'mic adj.

Main Entry: ga·lac·tos·emia
Variant: or chiefly British ga·lac·tos·aemia /g&-"lak-t&-'sE-mE-&/
Function:noun
: an inherited metabolic disorder in which galactose accumulates in the blood due to deficiency of an enzyme catalyzing its conversion to glucose —ga·lac·tos·emic or chiefly British ga·lac·tos·aemic /-mik/ adjective

galactosemia ga·lac·to·se·mia (gə-lāk'tə-sē'mē-ə)
n.
An inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the deficiency of an enzyme necessary for galactose metabolism and chracterized by elevated levels of galactose in the blood and, if untreated, mental retardation and eye and liver abnormalities.

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ga·lac'to·se'mic adj.

galactosemia

a hereditary defect in the metabolism of the sugar galactose, which is a constituent of lactose, the main carbohydrate of milk. Infants with this condition appear normal at birth, but, after a few days of milk feeding, they begin to vomit, become lethargic, fail to gain weight, and show an enlargement of the liver. Untreated infants who survive are usually malnourished and stunted in growth; cataracts in the eyes and mental retardation may also occur. When their urine is tested for sugars, galactose invariably is present. In all affected infants, the symptoms of galactosemia regress after milk and milk products are eliminated from their diet.

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