Malaria in african children with deficient erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

Abstract

P. falciparum malaria parasite rates and densities were found to be significantly lower in young African children with erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency than in children with normal enzymes. Reasons are given in the discussion why this might be so. This fact helps to explain why the enzyme-deficiency trait remains common in malarious areas even though it predisposes carriers to haemolysis under certain conditions. The enzyme tests were carried out in laboratory space provided through the courtesy of the late Dr. D. B. Wilson, at Amani, Tanganyika. The visit of one of us (A. C. A.) to East Africa was made possible by a grant from the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund, recommended by the Colonial Medical Research Committee (now the Tropical Medicine Research Board). © 1961, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.