Hematological differences among malaria patients in rural and Urban Ghana
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Oxford University Press
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 <1to92 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 with 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 with those living in a rural setting. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.
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Keywords
Anemia, Exposome, Ghana, Global health, Hematological parameters, Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Citation
Iqbal SA, Botchway F, Badu K, et al. Hematological Differences among Malaria Patients in Rural and Urban Ghana. J Trop Pediatr. 2016;62(6):477–486. doi:10.1093/tropej/fmw038