New article just accepted for publication in the Journal of Tropical Pediatrics!
ABSTRACT
Background: Scarce studies have addressed hematological differences of malaria in urban and rural regions.
Methods: Full or complete blood cell counts from 46 and 75 individuals (age range from < 1 to 92 years) with uncomplicated malaria infection living in urban (Accra) and rural (Dodowa) Ghana, respectively, were assessed. Sickle cell trait and patients were excluded from the study.
Results: Between overall groups, patients from Accra had significantly lower parasite count (p<0.0001) and granulocyte number (p=0.026). Children in Accra had a significantly lower parasitemia (p=0.0013), hemoglobin (p=0.0254), platelet count (p=0.0148), and red blood cell levels (p=0.0080) when compared to the children of Dodowa. In adults, mean cell hemoglobin (p=0.0086) and parasite count (p<0.0001) were significantly higher in Dodowa.
Conclusion: These results indicate that children living in urban setting may experience a greater anemic effect to malaria as compared to those living in a rural setting.
KEYWORDS: Exposome, Anemia, global health, Plasmodium falciparum malaria, hematological parameters, Ghana
http://m.tropej.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/06/16/tropej.fmw038.full