Determination of interferon gamma associated with malaria parasitaemia among patients attending selected hospitals in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background
Malaria has been recognized as a severe and life- threatening illness for thousands of years. It is still one of the most common diseases affecting humans worldwide. Results gathered in primates challenged by Plasmodium falciparum and, to some extent, in humans, point to interferon gamma as a possible immune mediator or at least a surrogate marker significantly associated with protection against Plasmodium falciparum and actually, the only surrogate available to-date.
Aim
This study was aimed at determining malaria parasitaemia and interferon gamma concentration among patients attending selected hospitals in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Methods
Four hundred blood samples were collected from four hospitals in Zaria, Kaduna State.The samples were microscopically screened for malaria parasites. The concentrations of interferon gamma were determined using ELISA, and the results obtained were analysed using Chi square.
Results
Only the ring trophozoites of Plasmodium falciparum were observed in the infected samples. In the whole study population, males had a higher parasitaemia than females.The individuals with Plasmodium falciparum infection had the highest mean concentrations of interferon gamma with 121.32pg/ml than those in the negative control group, that is, those without the infection (75.69pg/ml). There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.079).
Conclusion
This study shows a higher Plasmodium falciparumparasitaemia in males than females, with a relatively higher concentration of interferon gamma in the group with parasitamia than the control group.