Hematological Differences among Malaria Patients in Rural and Urban Ghana.
Scarce studies have addressed hematological differences of malaria in urban and rural regions.



Full or complete blood cell counts from 46 and 75 individuals (age range from < 1 to 92 years) with uncomplicated malaria infection living in urban (Accra) and rural (Dodowa) Ghana, respectively, were assessed. Sickle cell trait and patients were excluded from the study.



Between overall groups, patients from Accra had significantly lower parasite count (p < 0.0001) and granulocyte number (p = 0.026). Children in Accra had a significantly lower parasitemia (p = 0.0013), hemoglobin (p = 0.0254), platelet count (p = 0.0148) and red blood cell levels (p = 0.0080) when compared with the children of Dodowa. In adults, mean cell hemoglobin (p = 0.0086) and parasite count (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in Dodowa.



These results indicate that children living in urban setting may experience a greater anemic effect to malaria as compared with those living in a rural setting.
Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 30310-1495.
Shareen A
SA
Iqbal
Department of Pathology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Felix
F
Botchway
Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Kingsley
K
Badu
Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 30310-1495.
Nana O
NO
Wilson
Department of Haematology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Yvonne
Y
Dei-Adomakoh
Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 30310-1495.
Carmen M
CM
Dickinson-Copeland
Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Helena
H
Chinbuah
Department of Pathology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Andrew A
AA
Adjei
Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Michael
M
Wilson
Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 30310-1495.
Jonathan K
JK
Stiles
Department of Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 30310-1495 adel.driss@gmail.com.
Adel
A
Driss
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008288:Malaria; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010976:Platelet Count; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins
Ghana; Plasmodium falciparum malaria; anemia; exposome; global health; hematological parameters