Evaluation of decreased haematocrit and haemoglobin levels in Plasmodium falciparum infected individuals from South-western Nigeria

Objective: Plasmodium parasite is responsible for the breakdown of red blood cells, resulting into life threatening situation. Thus, an observational study of the parasitaemic impact of P. falciparum on some haematological parameters in comparison to non-infected individuals was carried out in two endemic state of Nigeria (Edo and Lagos).Methodology and Results: Blood samples collected from individuals (from September 2016-March, 2017) aged 2 years and above, were subjected to rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and microscopy assay to determine the presence of P. falciparum. Further, auto-haematology analyser and/or microcentrifuge where available were employed to acquire information on the haematocrit and haemoglobin levels. Of the 2376 collected samples, three hundred (12.6%) were positive by RDT, out of which Plasmodium falciparum was detected microscopically in 137. The mean haematocrit (PCV) level (37.36±0.37) of the negative samples was significantly higher (p