Association between asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection, anemia and mean corpuscular volume of school children in the Volta Region of Ghana

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Although several studies have reported abnormal MCV values and anemia associated with malaria infections with a focus on P. falciparum among patients with complicated and uncomplicated malaria. This study assessed the association between asymptomatic P. falciparum malaria infection, anemia, and the MCV values of school children in Ghana. Methods/Case Report We conducted a cross-sectional study using 3 ml of blood samples from 549 children aged 5- 17 years attending 5 schools selected in the Volta Region. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to the children to obtain demographic data. Blood samples were collected into a K2EDTA tube and then used to estimate the children’s automated full blood count (FBC) and malaria status using microscopy. MCV was classified into low, normal, and high. Data obtained were analyzed using STATA 15 software. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Most of the children in this study (49.9%) had normal MCV (81.3-91.3 fL) with an overall malaria prevalence of 55.6 % (95% CI: 51.3-59.8) and anemia prevalence of 48.6% (95% CI 44.4-52.9). The majority of the anemic children had normal MCV (81.3-91.3 fL) (49.8, 95% CI 43.7-56.0). The predicted probability of malaria was highly likely among children whose MCV fell within the first and third quartiles. Conclusion This study shows a reduced predicted probability of malaria among children with low and high MCV, playing a protective function against malaria. Further studies are required to elucidate the association and interaction between MCV, anemia, and asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection.