Severe Malaria Anaemia in Children

Abstract

Severe malaria anaemia is defined as haemoglobin concentration <5g/dl associated with Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia.(WHO, 1986) Other causes of anaemia have to be excluded as asymptomatic falciparum parasitaemia is common in endemic areas.(Salako et al,1990) Severe anaemia may exist alone or in combination with other complications particularly cerebral malaria and respiratory distress in which it portends worse prognosis.(WHO, 2004) It is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children below five years of age. Children below 3 years are predominantly affected with a mean age of 1.8 years.(Krause,2000) Available data suggests that severe malaria anaemia is the commonest complication of malaria in areas subjected to high inoculation rates throughout the year.(Newton & Krishna, 1998). It accounts for between 26 and 62% of severe malaria admissions in malaria endemic countries (Satpathy et al,2004, Mockenhaupt et al,2004) and up to 29% of total hospital admissions as reported in Ilorin(Ernest,2002) and Kenya.(Lackritz et al,1992). Hospital based data of deaths from anaemia ranges between 11.2% in Sierra Leone and 14% in Kenya for children below 5 years.(Brabin et al,2002). Most deaths occur within 2 days of admission underscoring the importance of adequate blood banking facilities in our primary health care centres. (Newton &Krishna, 1998, Lackritz et al,1992).