EFFECTS OF MANAGEMENTS OFMALARIA ON HAEMATOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL CHANGES IN CHILDREN
abstract
This study looked at the prevalence, haematology, biochemical, and nutritional indices of children infected with the malaria parasite in Anambra State, Nigeria. It also looked at the effects of home (community) and hospital management of childhood malaria. It also assessed how well mothers and other caregivers knew about childhood malaria, felt about it, and thought about how they ran their homes. The study involved a total of 248 kids between the ages of 0 and 14.9 years and a random sample of 653 houses. Blood samples were taken from 114 females and 134 male children (39 from communities and 95 from hospitals) (43 from communities and 71 from hospitals). These kids received treatment for malaria.
either in hospitals or at home with their mothers or other caregivers. Blood levels of bilirubin (mg/dl), total protein (g/dl), and sodium ion (mmol/l)
packed cell volume (PCV%), haemoglobin (Hb mg/dl), alkaline phosphatase (ALP iu/l), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT u/l), and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT u/l) both white
WBC mcl) were evaluated using accepted techniques. Age, height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements were taken anthropometrically using a standard scale, tape, and MUAC UNICEF insertion tape. Fisher’s least significant difference, the chi-square test, the t test, the analysis of variance, multiple regression, and Epi Info were used to
Check for differences between the variables that are significant. The threshold for significant difference was set at 0.05 for all calculations. In the community, the prevalence of malaria was 46.3%, whereas it was 94.0% in the hospital. Age and sexuality did not affect the significance of malaria parasite infection (p>0.05). Variations in the prevalence of malaria in the community
amounted to nothing (p>0.05),
The seasonal and monthly prevalences, however, varied significantly (p 0.05). In both the communities (31.73 458 to 28.25 3.75) and hospitals (31.12 11.78 to 28.27 5.56) surveyed, the mean PCV of the malaria-infected children was significantly (p 0.05) higher in the females than the males. Infected children who were female also had significantly (p0.05) higher WBC counts than those who were male. In the hospital sampled compared to the homes, the SGOT was significantly (p0.05) higher in males. Infection with malaria affected gametocyte count and serum WBC levels. In the surveyed communities and hospitals, the gametocyte counts of 1 to 10 and 11 to 100, respectively, had significantly different WBC counts (p 0.05). Children 0 – 4.9 years old had significantly higher mean serum levels of birilubin (p 0.05) in the age group comparison. (0.55 ± 0.25 to.35 ± 0.14) (p<0.05). In comparison to other age groups in the survey, children aged 10 to 14.9 had a significantly (p 0.05) higher mean level of hemoglobin (between 10.30 and 0.29 to 10.90 and 0.26). The PCV and Hb of the malaria-infected children aged 5 to 9.9 years were significantly (p0.05) lower than the control group, according to a comparison of the parameters with age. Changes in the sodium ion (Na+, SGOT, ALP, and SGPT) serum levels may not be connected to malaria infection. In the community and hospital surveys, the prevalence of malnutrition (weight-for-height Z-scores) among malaria-uninfected children was 26.7% (14.2 – 44% 95% C.I.) and 9.2% (4.7 – 17.1 95% C.I.) respectively, whereas the prevalence among children infected with the malaria parasite was 21.4% and 7.4%, respectively.