ISSN 2736-173X
African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-009, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Haematological changes and recovery associated with treated and untreated Plasmodium falciparum infection in children in the Mount Cameroon Region
Sumbele Irene Ule Ngole1*, Nkuo-Akenji Theresa2, Samje Moses2, Ndzeize Thomas2 Ngwa Elsy Manka2 and Titanji V. P. K.2
1Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Buea Cameroon.
2Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P. O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
Accepted 07 October, 2019
Abstract
Pre-hospital antimalarial treatment of febrile children remains a significant common practice among individuals in the Mount Cameroon region. To evaluate the effect of routinely administered monotherapy sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (SP), treatment using amodiaquine artesunate (AQAS) combination therapy and untreated malaria on haematological and parasitological parameters, 332 malaria positive subjects were assigned to three groups comprising 138 children treated with AQAS, 43 treated with SP and 151 untreated. The changes and recovery in red cell indices, white blood cell and differential and platelets counts were compared. The highest haematological recovery (39.1%) occurred in the AQAS treatment group. The majority (94%) of the untreated cases never achieved haematological recovery even though there was spontaneous clearance of parasites in some cases. Haematological insult was greatest in untreated children followed by those treated with SP, the 1.1 - 3 year age group whether or not they received treatment and in those with high parasitaemia. Delayed parasite clearance observed in the untreated and SP treatment group may be responsible for the occurrence of haematological insult. Treatment type and parasitological cure was associated with haematological recovery. Prompt use of effective arthemisinin combination therapy reduced the burden of malaria, hence the greater clinical and haematological benefits observed in our study.
Key words: Malaria, children, anaemia, haemoglobin, treatment, haematological recovery.