title: Comparative analysis of malaria parasite density using actual and assumed white blood cell counts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare malaria parasite densities, calculated using the white cell counts (WBC) of individual children with a standard WBC count of 8.0 x 10(9)/L.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of malaria WBCs and malaria parasite densities were estimated in 240 healthy Nigerian children aged 1-8 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 240 children, 75 (31.25%) were infected with malaria, 69 (28.75%) with P. falciparum and 9 (3.75%) with other species. The mean (SD) WBC count was 5.1 (2.0) x 10(9)/L. There was an age-related significant difference in the mean WBC counts (t=2.000, p<0.05), with values higher in the under-5s [5.6 (2.0) x 10(9)/L] than in the > or =5-years group [5.0 (1.8) x 10(9)/L]. No significant difference was observed with regard to gender and malaria infection. The mean (SD) parasite densities of P. falciparum obtained using the assumed value of 8.0 x 10(9)/L [1936 (1119.5)] was significantly higher than the parasite densities estimated using the individual WBC counts [1140 (862.8) for P. falciparum] (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parasite density estimation using the assumed count of 8.0 x 10(9)/L might result in over-estimation of the parasite burden. The WBCs of individual patients should always be estimated when parasite density is required.
authors.affiliation: Post-graduate Haematology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. zacjerry@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zaccheaus Awortu
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Jeremiah
authors.forename: Emmanuel Kufre
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Uko
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012737:Sex Factors