Volume 3 / Issue 1 - 2009

Malaria and genetic polymorphism of haemoglobin genotypes and ABO Blood Groups

1 Akinboye D. O., J. U. Ovansa 2, O. Fawole 11, O. M. Agbolade 3, , O. O. Akinboye 4, A. M. Amosu 1, N. O. S. Atulomah 1, T. C. Hapi5, O. Oduola 6, B. M. Owodunni 7, S. N. Rebecca 8, M. Falade 9 & E. Okwong 10

1Department of Public and Allied Health, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State. 2 Biology Department, Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State 3Department of Plant Science and Applied Zoology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, PMB 2002, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state 4Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State. 5Malaria Research Lab, Imrat College of Medicine, UI. 6Department of Pharmacology and Therapeuthics, Ladoke Akintola University, Oshogbo. 7Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State. 8Deparment of Biology, Federal University of Technology, Yola. 9Protein Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phaholyothin Road, Klong 1, Klongluang, Pathumthani 12120 Thailand .10Depertment of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Calabar, Cross River State. 11Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state

2009

ABSTRACT

Malaria places a huge burden on human life, and has been reported to be a key health problem affecting developing countries. This study aimed at determining the distribution of Hemoglobingenotypes, ABO blood groups and severity of malaria infection among various hemoglobin genotypes.Seven hundred and sixty-five patients, who expressed symptoms of malaria, were clinically examined for malariasymptoms. Two hundred were clinically diagnosed for malaria infection. Blood films were prepared from these and examined for malaria parasites. Their Haemoglobin (Hb) genotypes and ABO blood groups were determined. The patterns of malaria infection were determined among Hb genotypes and ABO blood groups. One hundred and eighty had Plasmodium falciparum infection. Age group 1-5years had the highest frequency of malaria infection, 50 (27.77%) with a mean parasite count of 9,600/UL. Age group 36 – 40 was least infected, with a mean parasite count of 1,000/UL. The differences within the mean parasite counts, among the age groups were significant (p<0.05). Males 98 (54.4%) were more infected than the females 82 (45.6%). The mean parasite load of the males was also significantly higher than that of the females, (P <0.05). Hb genotype AA patients (60%) were more infected than the Hb genotype AS.