Comparison of hematological parameters between plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax and control group

Malaria, a morbid disease of Tropical countries, may harmful if it cannot be diagnosed at its early phase, by observing the changes in hematological parameters. Our aim was to compare the hematological parameters between Plasmodium falciparum and vivax in relation to control healthy group in West Bengal.

In total 238 slide or dual antigen positive patients (120= Plasmodium vivax, 118=plasmodium falciparum) clinical hematological, renal parameters were compared.

In Plasmodium vivax and falciparum, male to female ratio was 3:1 and 1.3:1 respectively. Significant elevation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),differential lymphocyte count, creatinine and significant lowering of platelet count, fasting blood sugar (FBS) were observed in plasmodium vivax group, whereas, significant elevation of hemoglobin, differential monocyte count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were seen in plasmodium falciparum group. Haemoglobin and FBS were significantly lower, whereas, ESR, creatinine, differential monocyte count were high in vivax group, total white blood cell and platelet count, hematocrit were low in both Plasmodium infection and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, differential lymphocyte count were significantly low in falciparum group as compared to control group.

Combination of low hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar and significantly raised ESR is highly significant in predicting severity of Plasmodium infection in patients of malaria endemic areas, which was evidenced in our present study. P. falciparum and vivax suffered from lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia respectively.