HEMATOLOGICAL CHANGES IN P.FALCIPARUM & P.VIVAX MALARIA

Abstract

Introduction: Malaria continues to be a great health problem in some of the most populated areas of the world & continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The hematological abnormalities that have been reported to consistently with malaria are anemia, thrombocytopenia, atypical lymphocytosis and infrequently disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in central hospital laboratory of a tertiary care hospital of Surat, Gujarat. The laboratory confirmed cases of malaria from August to October, 2012 were included in the study. Hematological profile of different spices of malaria was compared.

Results: The difference in mean platelet count according to severity of infection was highly statistically significant according to ANOVA test both for P.Vivax and P.Falciparum. Platelet counts show decreasing trend according to severity of infection. Difference in the mean haemoglobin level and mean platelet counts of P.Vivax cases and P.Falciparum cases was also statistically significant.

Conclusion: The low level of platelet can be used as predictor of severity of the infection. And thus, prediction of the hematological changes enables the clinician to establish an effective and early therapeutic intervention in order to prevent the occurrence of major complications.