Abstract
The effects of malaria on some haematological and biochemical parameters among males, pregnant and non-pregnant female patients attending district hospitals in Bida and Kagara areas of Niger State, Nigeria was investigated. The subjects were volunteers confirmed to be positive for malaria and without other clinical symptoms. A total of 231 patients (103 males and 128 females) within the age range of 1-50 years were studied. Fifty (20 males and 30 females) apparently healthy individuals in the similar age bracket were used as controls. Haematological and biochemical parameters were analyzed using standard methods. Overall, the reduction in haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume (PCV) in patients were significantly higher/lower from non-infected patients (p>0.05), while there was no significant differences observed in the male patients. The mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (36.03 ± 1.29g/dl) in pregnant subjects was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to the non-infected pregnant control group (32.65 ± 0.46g/dl). There was a significant reduction in neutrophils but increase in lymphocytes in all subjects irrespective of sex. Non-significant (p>0.05) increase existed in serum lipid levels among pregnant and non-pregnant women. When males and females were compared, serum lipids except triglycerides varied significantly. There were apparently no variations in glucose levels between pregnant and non-pregnant subjects, whereas males had significantly higher values. Some of these parameters can thus be useful tools in the monitoring and management of malaria.
Highlights
Malaria has been a major human health problem that threatens the lives of about 40% of the World’s population [1], causing morbidity and mortality worldwide [2]
The tropical climate of Nigeria accounts for the high prevalence of the disease, only south of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria has lower incidence of malaria due to the low temperature of the area [5]
The control groups comprised of apparently healthy individuals who tested negative to malaria
Summary
Malaria has been a major human health problem that threatens the lives of about 40% of the World’s population [1], causing morbidity and mortality worldwide [2]. It is endemic in 100 countries making about half of the world’s population to be at risk [3]. Environmental and daily fluctuation of temperature is said to be associated with the infection rate and malaria parasite development [6]. The degree of changes in haematological and biochemical parameters depend on the level of parasitemia, nutritional status [14], malaria immunity [15] and the endemicity of the disease [16]. Duncan’s test was used to compare the means at 5% probability level
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