Genetic red cell disorders and severity of falciparum malaria in Myanmar

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 73; no. 5; pp. 659 - 665
• Main Authors: Oo, Myint, O'Sullivan, W.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Genève Organisation mondiale de la santé 01.01.1995; World Health Organization
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Demographic aspects; Erythrocyte disorders; Glycogen Storage Disease Type I - complications; Glycogen Storage Disease Type I - genetics; Health Surveys; Hemoglobinopathies - complications; Hemoglobinopathies - genetics; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - complications; Malaria, Falciparum - epidemiology; Malaria, Falciparum - parasitology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myanmar; Parasitic diseases; Protozoal diseases; Severity of Illness Index; Tropical medicine; Myanmar; Asia; Human; Hemoglobinopathy; Protozoa; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Thalassemia; Hemopathy; Parasitosis; Genetic disease; Infection; Plasmodium falciparum; Hemolytic anemia; Association; Severity score; Parasitemia; Sporozoa; Public health
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604

A hospital-based survey was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the incidence and severity of malaria infection and various red cell disorders in Myanmar. The mean parasitaemia levels of patients with alpha- or beta-thalassaemia trait or with severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency were lower than those of individuals with normal haemoglobin AA or with heterozygous haemoglobin E. The double genetic defect of thalassaemia trait and severe G6PD deficiency appeared to confer some degree of protection against malaria.