Abstract

*Obimba, Kelechukwu Clarence and Eziuzor, Chukwunyelum Samuel

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of the use of biochemical, and hematological indices as diagnostic parameters of malaria parasitemia. Twenty (20) normal human subjects and twenty (20) malaria patients were subjected to malaria parasite density, total serum protein (P), serum albumin (A), serum globulin (G), aspartate amino transferase (AST), conjugated bilirubin (CB), total bilirubin (TB), white blood cell total (WBCTotal), packed cell volume (PCV%), plasma triglyceride (TG), and plasma cholesterol (C) tests. Thirteen (13) malaria patients had the blood genotype AA and seven (7) malaria patients had the blood genotype AS. Fourteen (14) malaria patients suffered from plasmodium falciparum infection and six (6) malaria patients suffered from plasmodium vivax infection, of varying degrees of severity. Results recorded of the normal human subjects and malaria patients, expressed as mean ± standard error (S.E) (unit) were as follows : P (3.52±0.153) and (3.31±0.11) (g/dl), A (2.16±0.075) and (1.89±0.155) (g/dl), G (1.55±0.103) and (1.35±0.123) (g/dl), AST (5.8±0.772) and (8.8±0.909) (U/l), CB (0.23±0.037) and (0.56±0.045) (mg/dl), TB (0.55±0.069) and (1.04±0.07) (mg/dl), WBCTotal (5120±292.8) and (4320±440.66) (mm), PCV (38.3±1.274) and (34.2±0.879) (%), TG (125.47±5.316) and (156±6.734) (mg/dl), and C (116.51±0.417) and (117.76±0.215) (mg/dl), respectively. The mean values of G, PCV%, and WBCTotal were significantly lower (p<0.05), but those of AST, TG, TB, and CB were significantly higher (p<0.05) in malaria patients compared with normal human subjects. The statistical regression and correlation between PCV% and AST (U/l) of malaria patients were significant (p<0.05). Incidence of malaria parasitemia correlated positively and significantly (p<0.05) with significant decrease (p<0.05) in G, PCV% and WBCTotal, and significant increase (p<0.05) in AST, TG, TB and CB. Significant differences/alterations in the values of G, PCV%, WBCTotal, TG, TB, CB, and AST (in comparism with normal human subjects), could be used as effective criteria/yardstick for the diagnosis of malaria parasitemia.