Plasmodium falciparum Parasitemia with Anemia in Children under Five Years at a Tertiary Health Center in South-West, Nigeria

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Abstract

Objectives: Malaria is a major public health disease and a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the population in sub-Saharan Africa. Severe malaria could be life threatening, especially among children less than five years old.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Children Emergency and Pediatrics wards of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State in Nigeria, over a three-month period. Ethical approval was obtained and an informed consent was taken from the caregivers. One hundred children below the age of five years were involved in the study. Blood was obtained from the children for thick and thin smears for malaria parasite identification and estimation. Packed red blood cell volume was also estimated using microhematocrit method.

Results: About 90.3% of the children were found to have malaria while 59.1% were anemic. Using multivalent analysis, malaria parasitemia was found to be associated with anemia (P = 0.036) in this study, there was no significant association between age, gender and malaria with anemia. 

Conclusions: Malaria in children is closely associated with anemia. Efforts should be geared towards prevention of malaria in children and pregnant mothers, also early detection and prompt treatment of malaria before complications such as anemia arises.

Keywords: Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, Anaemia, Children, Nigeria