Haematologic profile of children with laboratory Access diagnosed malaria: A prospective study

Haematologic profile of children with laboratory-diagnosed malaria: A prospective study

  • Charles Nkansah Department of Haematology, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana; Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
  • Felix Osei-Boakye Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Sunyani Technical University, Sunyani, Ghana
  • Samuel K Appiah Department of Haematology, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana; Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
  • Gabriel Abbam Department of Haematology, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Richard V. Duneeh Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
  • Moses Banyeh Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Charles A Derigubah Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, School of Applied Science and Arts, Bolgatanga Technical University, Bolgatanga, Ghana
  • Isaac Adjei Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana; Haematology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
  • Simon B. Bani Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Samira Daud Department of Haematology, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Boniface N. Ukwah Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
  • Seth Anane Department of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory Service Directorate, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Peter K. Selleh Clinical Laboratory Department, Jirapa St. Joseph’s Hospital, Jirapa, Ghana
  • Yeduah Quansah Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Victor U. Usanga Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
  • Prince Ottah Haematology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
  • Enoch Boadi Department of Medical Laboratory, Bremang SDA Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Sylvanus M. Kpangkpari Haematology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
  • Ejike F. Chukwurah Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2025.6.7.1.1104-1114
Keywords: Anaemia, Children, Cytopaenia, Full blood count, Malaria

Abstract

Background: The high mortality rate of malaria is due, in part, to the associated extensive alterations in haematological indices in affected individuals.
Objective: The study presents the haematological profile of malaria-infected children and determined the predictive values of haematological indices for severe malaria.
Methods: Three hundred and twenty-three children with laboratory-diagnosed malaria, aged 1 - 12 years, were enrolled between March 10 and August 27, 2023, at Tamale Teaching Hospital. Three millilitres of venous blood were collected for malaria diagnosis through microscopy, and a full blood count was taken using an auto-haematology analyser. IBM SPSS version 26.0 was used for the data analysis.
Results: Participants were mostly females (64.7%), aged 5 - 12 years (60.7%), and had high parasitaemia (>10000 malaria parasites). The prevalence of anaemia among the participants was 80.8%, and 44.6%, 18.3%, and 18.0% had mild, moderate, and severe anaemia, respectively. Approximately one-third of the malaria-infected children were thrombocytopaenic, and mild, moderate, and severe thrombocytopaenia occurred in 21.1%, 10.8%, and 3.4% of cases, respectively. Microcytic hypochromic anaemia was the most prevalent (54.5%) form of anaemia among the participants. Total leucocytes (AUC: 0.605, p = 0.021), absolute lymphocyte count (AUC: 0.600, p=0.040), absolute monocyte count (AUC: 0.699, p < 0.001), absolute eosinophil (AUC: 0.649, p < 0.001), absolute basophil count (AUC: 0.774, p < 0.001) and platelet_large cell ratio (AUC: 0.693, p < 0.001) were fair predictors of severe malaria. Bicytopaenia and pancytopaenia were present in 37.2% and 7.1%, respectively.
Conclusion: Childhood malaria presents with varying haematological abnormalities, notably severe anaemia, thrombocytopaenia and leucocyte disorders. Microcytic hypochromic anaemia is a common picture in children with malaria. Haematological indices may be useful in differentiating severe from uncomplicated malaria in children.

Published
2025-06-29
Issue
Vol 7 No 1 (2025): Health Sciences Investigations Journal
Section
Original Research Article