DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i01.005

Pages: 17-20

Several studies have shown that haemoglobin (Hb) variants AS and AC are associated with resistance to severe falciparum malaria infection. However, reports on association between these haemoglobin variants and asymptomatic malaria infection are conflicting. The objectives of this study were to examine the associations between asymptomatic falciparum malaria infection and haemoglobin variants AS and AC. Seemingly healthy individuals, 2,237 (≥16 years) without clinical symptoms in Iwo, Southwestern Nigeria were screened for this study after informed consent was obtained. A sample of 5 mL of blood was withdrawn from each participant for examination of malaria parasite and haemoglobin genotype. Thick and thin Giemsa stained blood smear were prepared for malaria parasite identification and quantification. Haemoglobin genotype was determined by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. There was no significant relationship between haemoglobin variants and sex (ᵡ2 = 1.46, df = 5, p = 0.918). Compared to HbAA, malaria infection and parasite densities were significantly lower in Hb AS (ᵡ2 = 26.66, p < 0.001; t = 5.05, p < 0.001) and Hb AC (ᵡ2 = 6.51, p = 0.01; t = 3.70, p = 0.002). There was no significant difference between AS and AC individuals with respect to malaria infection and parasite density (ᵡ2 = 0.21, p = 0.64; t = 0.22, p = 0.83). These findings suggest that among adults living in Iwo, Southwestern Nigeria, HbAS or HbAC offered better protection against asymptomatic falciparum malaria infection than HbAA while HbAS and HbAC offered similar protection.