Zeitschrift für Infektionskrankheiten und Therapie

Abstrakt

Direct Antiglobulin Reactions in Plasmodium falciparum Parasitized Patients in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria

Uko EK, Erhabor O, Isaac IZ, Kabiru M, Bello Y, Okwesili AN, Buhari HA, Wase A, Onuigwe F U and Mainasara Y

Background: Malaria is a global public health problem affecting people particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Immune mediated haemolysis is thought to occur in malaria infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of direct antiglobulin positivity among 100 patients with P. falciparum malaria in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria.

Method: Evidence of immune mediated haemolysis with characteristic positive direct Coombs test was investigated among a cohort of 100 Plasmodium falciparum parasitized subjects aged 6 to 45 years and mean age 26.9 ± 8.25 years, made of 56 males (56%) and 44 females (44%) resident in Sokoto, North Western, Nigeria.

Result: Amongst the 100 subjects with uncomplicated malaria infection, 3 (3%) had a positive Direct Antiglobulin Test (DAT). The incidence of positive DAT was concentrated among subjects in the 6-15 years age groups (p=0.001). There was no gender–related differences in the incidence of positive DAT among the subjects.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that a positive DAT is common in Plasmodium falciparum parasitized Nigerians. Malaria–related positive DAT may be responsible for the anaemia seen in patients with malaria. There is the need for the routine monitoring of malaria parasitized subjects, particularly those with anaemia in the area.