Severe anaemia in Zambian children with <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> malaria

Biemba, Godfrey; Dolmans, Dennis E. J. G. J.; Thuma, Philip E.; Weiss, Günter; Gordeuk, Victor R.

doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.2000.00506.x

Cited by 61 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Among those diagnosed with malaria 91.7% carried parasite loads ≤ 5000 parasites/µl of blood. This corroborates findings by Biemba who reported that in highly endemic areas, where there is constant repeated transmission and infection, a low-grade asymptomatic parasite load remains the common phenomenon [19]. The high number of afebrile cases is, however, a cause for concern because many parents/guardians in Muea seek treatment only when the child has persistent high fever after self medication with herbal remedies or drugs from questionable sources.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The burden of malaria and malnutrition among children less than 14 years of age in a rural village of Cameroon

Nkuo‐Akenji¹,

Sumbele²,

Mankah³

et al. 2008

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Malaria and malnutrition are a major health burden in developing countries with infants and children being the most vulnerable groups. The extent of the burden of malaria and malnutrition was investigated in 339 children ≤14years residing in the village of Muea located in the South West Province of Cameroon. Malaria parasitaemia was determined microscopically from Giemsa stained thick blood films. Nutritional status was determined using age and the anthropometric parameters of weight and height. Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-forheight (WHZ) Z scores were computed based on the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS)/World Health Organisation growth reference curves. Anaemia was assessed by measuring haemoglobin (Hb) concentration while plasma iron levels were determined by spectrophotometric assays. The prevalence of malaria in the study population was 96.2% (326/339) with a majority (68.4%) having asymptomatic disease. The geometric mean parasite density (GMPD) was 744.37 ± 89396.11 (parasitaemia range 40-153190 parasites/µL blood). The mean Hb concentration was 9.29 ± 1.8g/dL (range 4-14.1g/dL) and anaemia (Hb<11g/dL) was diagnosed in 81.4% of the children, a majority of whom had microcytic anaemia. A negative correlation was observed between parasite density and haemoglobin concentration (r = -0.14). The mean plasma iron level was 53.64 ± 32.87µL/dl (range 1.8-159) with 58.7% (199/339) of the children diagnosed as iron deficient (plasma iron concentrations <50µg/dL). A negative correlation was observed between plasma iron values and malaria parasitaemia (r = -0.031). The prevalence of malnutrition was 58.1% (197/339). Of the 197 malnourished children, 23.6% were wasted (< -2 SD weight-for-height Z-score), 26.5% underweight (< -2 SD weight-for-age Z score) and 49.9% stunted (< -2 SD height-for-age Z score). There was a negative correlation between nutritional status and malaria parasitaemia (r =-0.034). The findings from this study are strongly suggestive that falciparum malaria and malnutrition exist in children residing in Muea and constitute a major health problem which needs to be immediately addressed to reduce morbidity and mortality.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The burden of malaria and malnutrition among children less than 14 years of age in a rural village of Cameroon

Nkuo‐Akenji¹,

Sumbele²,

Mankah³

et al. 2008

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…31 The lack of, or in some instances modest association between increased gradients of parasitemia density and reduced Hb in some previous hospital-based studies is possibly due to the simultaneous collection of these two parameters at time of admission. [32][33][34] The ABCP data demonstrate that while presence of concurrent parasitemia in children under 24 months of age is associated with lower mean Hb, differential increases in level of concurrent parasitemia density appear less influential in reducing Hb (Figures 2 and 3). Consideration of the data in Figures 2 and 3 alone might lead to the erroneous conclusion that control methods employed to shift higher-density parasitemias to lower-densities will have only the slightest effect on improving mean Hb profiles of a population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effect of Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia density on hemoglobin concentrations among full-term, normal birth weight children in western Kenya, IV. The Asembo Bay Cohort Project.

McElroy¹,

Kuile²,

Lal³

et al. 2000

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The relative importance of acute high-density versus persistent low-density Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia in contributing to the public health problem of malarial anemia remains unclear. The Asembo Bay Cohort Project in western Kenya collected monthly hemoglobin (Hb) and parasitologic measurements and biweekly assessments of antimalarial drug use among 942 singleton live births between 1992 and 1996. A mixed-model analysis appropriate for repeated measures data was used to study how time-varying parasitemia and antimalarial drug exposures influenced mean Hb profiles. Incidence of World Health Organization-defined severe malarial anemia was 28.1 per 1,000 person-years. Among children aged less than 24 months, concurrent parasitemia was significantly associated with lower mean Hb, especially when compared to children with no concurrent parasitemia. Increased densities of the 90-day history of parasitemia preceding Hb measurement was more strongly associated with mean Hb levels than concurrent parasitemia density. While the highest quartile of 90-day parasitemia history was associated with lowest mean Hb levels, children in the lowest 90-day exposure quartile still experienced significantly lower Hb levels when compared to children who remained parasitemia-free for the same 90-day period. The results highlight the importance of collecting and analyzing longitudinal Hb and parasitologic data when studying the natural history of malarial anemia.

show abstract

“…1 Many cases of SMA are clinically stable, and variables in clinical assessment on admission could be helpful in predicting the likelihood of a poor outcome and improving case management. We conducted an investigation to determine the association of various baseline characteristics with the level of anaemia on admission to hospital in young Zambian children who where clinically stable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with severe anaemia in Zambian children admitted withPlasmodium falciparummalarial anaemia

Mulenga

Malunga

Bennett

et al. 2005

Annals of Tropical Paediatrics

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Severe anaemia in Zambian children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Cited by 61 publications

References 17 publications

The burden of malaria and malnutrition among children less than 14 years of age in a rural village of Cameroon

The burden of malaria and malnutrition among children less than 14 years of age in a rural village of Cameroon

Effect of Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia density on hemoglobin concentrations among full-term, normal birth weight children in western Kenya, IV. The Asembo Bay Cohort Project.

Factors associated with severe anaemia in Zambian children admitted withPlasmodium falciparummalarial anaemia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About