Effect of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites on haematological parameters in Ghanaian children

Abstract

Malaria is hyper-endemic in Ghana. Haematological alterations in the disease pathology may offer complimentary criteria to improve clinical and microscopy diagnosis. Our primary outcome was to evaluate haematological parameters in children with Plasmodium falciparum infections and report their predictive risk and diagnostic performance for malaria infections in Ghana. Haematological data, including thin and thick blood films were examined for children less than 12 years of age in a multicenter-based active case finding approach. Haematological changes were common in P. falciparum infected children and more pronounced in severe malaria cases. More so, a unit increase in parasiteamia increased the odds for severe malaria infection by 93 % [OR, 95 % CI: 1.93 (1.28-2.91); P value = 0.02]. In multivariate regression, low haemoglobin was a significant haematological change in predicting P. falciparum infections [OR,); P value = 0.001]. Low haemoglobin levels \11 g/dl was the most reliable indicator for P. falciparum infections [with a sensitivity of (64 %), specificity (71 %), positive predictive value (83 %) and likelihood ratio (2.2)]-even when evaluated in combination with leucocytosis, lymphocytopaenia and high neutrophil counts [7,500 lL. In malaria endemic settings, low haemoglobin concentration (\11 g/dl) in children with febrile illness should prompt a more diligent search for the malarial parasite to limit the misuse and abuse of anti-malarial drugs.

Haematological parameters and plasma levels of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α in malaria-sickle cell co-morbidity: A cross sectional study

“…Previous study done in Ghana in patients below 20 years, reported that WBC and lymphocytes in malaria patients were lower compared to control subjects. The other leucocytes sub-types were not significantly different from control subjects [41]. However, the current study observed significantly high leucocytes and leucocytes sub-types derangements in malaria-SCD except neutrophils and basophils.…”

Correlation of malaria parasitaemia with peripheral blood monocyte to lymphocyte ratio as indicator of susceptibility to severe malaria in Ghanaian children

“…Full or complete blood count was conducted on each participant and there was a significant decrease in the haemoglobin concentration in the P. falciparum infected children compared to those not infected with malaria (Table 2 ). The mean haemoglobin concentration was 9.78 ± 2.4, giving credence to the fact that malaria-induced immune responses contributes to accelerated lysis of both parasitized and non-parasitized red cells which in turn results in the increased anaemia witnessed in P. falciparum infected children [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Hematological abnormalities in patients with malaria and typhoid in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

“…Despite many global studies reporting anemia, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia with malaria and typhoid in adults, limited studies of these cytopenias exist in Ghana. The studies in Ghana, are mostly on anemia in children [ 27 – 30 ] and in pregnant women [ 31 – 34 ]. Thus, this study was intended to determine the prevalence and association of cytopenias in adults with plasmodium or salmonella infections in Tamale.…”