Relationships between <I>P. Falciparum</I> density, haptoglobin, transferrin and packed cell volume in apparently healthy pregnant women

Abstract

The present study investigates possible evidence of anaemia in apparently healthy pregnant women with P. falciparum parasiteamia. Hence, 82 apparently healthy pregnant women aged 20-39 years reporting for routine antenatal care were recruited for the study. They were screened for P. falciparum parasiteamia, those with positive P.falciparum became ‘Asymptomatic group' (n=60), while those with negative P.falciparum became ‘aparasitaemia group, (n=22). Further analysis made on the blood samples collected from both groups includes serum estimations of haptoglobin and transferrin and packed cell volume (PCV). The result showed no significant difference in packed cell volume, serum transferrin and haptoglobin concentrations between both groups (P>0.1 for each case). Different levels of associations were observed between P.falciparum density and packed cell volume (r = -0.3, P<0.01); haptoglobin concentration (r = -0.319, P<0.05) but no such association was observed with transferrin concentration This study shows that continued increase in P. falciparum density might affect haptoglobin metabolism and may result in anaemia.

Keywords: malaria, PCV, transferrin, haptoglobin, pregnancy

African Journal of Biomedical Research Vol. 8(1) 2005: 21-24