Serum aminotransferases and bilirubin levels in malaria patients

Abstract

Alanine aminostransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and bilirubin are known for their clinical significance in pathogenesis of liver and blood. We monitored the serum status of these substances in 37 patients diagnosed with malaria. All assays were carried out using the colorimetric (spectrophotometric) method. The mean serum concentration for total bilirubin (T B) and direct bilirubin (D B) were 26.54µmol/l + 2.17 and 30.75µmol + 6.16, respectively. The mean activity for ALT was 9.05 u/l + 1.11 and AST was 10.38u/l + 1.09. These mean values recorded for the test samples across all the parameters analyzed were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of the control samples. Serum aminotransferases and bilirubin levels should therefore be routinely monitored in malaria patients since Plasmodium parasites invasion could produce liver and blood complications, even when least suspected.

International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 1(2) 2005: 85-89