Authors : R.E. Akhigbe, S.F. Ige, G.J. Adegunlola, M.O. Adewumi and M.O. Azeez
Abstract: This study assessed the prevalence of malaria parasitemia and severe malaria and their association with haemoglobin genotypes and ABO blood groups. Medical records of 501 students who attended or were admitted during the period of study in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital were used. Subjects with sickle cell disease (HbSS, HbSC) showed the highest prevalence of both malaria parasitemia and severe malaria followed by subjects with haemoglobin AA. Sickle cell trait subjects (HbAS, HbAC) had the lowest prevalence. Also subjects with blood group O had a higher prevalence of malaria parasitemia but a lower prevalence of severe malaria when compared with the non O blood groups. The association of sickle cell disease with high prevalence of malaria parasitemia and severe malaria confirms the susceptibility of the sickle cell gene in the homozygous state to easy fragility of Red Blood Cells (RBCs). The association of blood group O with less prevalence of severe malaria confirms the protective role of antigen O in impairing rosetting and vascular cytoadhesion of parasitized RBCs. The association of blood group O with high prevalence of malaria parasitemia might suggest that O antigen is more susceptible to malaria infection than non O antigens but less susceptible to severe malaria.
R.E. Akhigbe, S.F. Ige, G.J. Adegunlola, M.O. Adewumi and M.O. Azeez, 2011. Malaria, Haemoglobin Genotypes and ABO Blood Groups in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 6: 73-76.