| dc.description.abstract | Background
The interplay between malaria parasites and blood group antigens remains a fascinating
subject with potential to contribute to the development of new interventions to reduce the
global burden of malaria. Elucidation of the association between the erythrocyte ABO
antigens status and infection with Plasmodium falciparum can bring about understanding of
the differences noted in the ABO blood group variation in malaria endemic areas.
Objective
To determine the ABO distribution among patients and its association with malaria infection
in the malaria endemic county of Busia in western Kenya.
Hypothesis
The study hypothesized that during infection with P falciparum, group O offers a survival
advantage, group A confers a disadvantage, and group B has an intermediate.
Design
This was a cross-sectional study that sequentially enrolled patients who were suspected to have malaria, and had their blood tested for the malaria parasite and the ABO blood group status.Study site The Busia county referral hospital Method Upon giving their consent, a total of 246 febrile patients who were clinically examined and suspected to have malaria had their blood tested for the malaria parasite by making thick and thin blood smears and observing under the microscope at 100x. Parasitaemia was determined
for patients to tested positive for P.falciparum. The patients’ blood groups were determined
using the tube technique. The variables used in the study questionnaire were age, gender,
ABO blood group status, malaria blood slide examination result and clinical diagnosis of the
study subjects. Data entry was done in MS excel, database management and analysis was done
using Statistical Package for Social and Sciences (SPSS) version 13 software.
Results
Of the 246 respondents, 63.8% of them were aged below 5 years of age and 28.9% were
above 16 years. 60.5% of the respondents were females. Both age (X2=0.997 p>0.05) and sex
(X2=0.975 p>0.05) were however not significantly associated with disease status. 44.31%
(109) of the respondents were blood group O, 26% (64) were blood A and 24.4% (60) were
blood group B. Only 5.3% (13) were blood group AB. More than one thirds 37.8% (93) of the
respondents were MPs positive. All the respondents had less than 1000 parasites /µ L of
blood. Blood group was not statistically associated (X2=2.857, p=0.827) with parasitaemia.
Malaria infection showed significant association with blood group A (X2=4.736, p<0.05), B
(X2=0.570, p<0.015) and AB (X2=2.751, p<0.05). Blood group O was not statistically
associated with getting malaria infection(X2=0.005, p>0.05).
Conclusion
During infection with P.falciparum, blood group O individuals are conferred with a protective
advantage, group A individuals are at a disadvantage, while blood group B has an
intermediate effect. | en_US |
| dc.description.department | a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya | |
