Association between alpha-thalassaemia trait, Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites and gametocyte carriage in a malaria endemic area in Southern Ghana

BMC Res Notes. 2019 Mar 13;12(1):134. doi: 10.1186/s13104-019-4181-8.

Abstract

Objective: The alpha-thalassaemia trait has been associated with protection against severe malaria but its role in Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasite and gametocyte carriage remains unclear. This study examined association between prevalence of α-thalassaemia and P. falciparum asexual stage parasitaemia and gametocytaemia in children, pregnant women and adults, which was part of a bigger study that investigated some key factors that influence gametocyte carriage.

Results: Overall prevalence of heterozygous α-thalassaemia trait among all the groups was 39.0%, while 8.2% were homozygous alpha thalassaemia. Asexual parasite prevalence was significantly higher in children (P = 0.008) compared to adults and pregnant women. Of the asexual P. falciparum positive individuals, gametocyte prevalence was 38.5% (15/39) in children, 29.7% (11/37) in pregnant women and 17.4% (4/23) in adults. Heterozygous α-thalassaemic children were less likely to harbour asexual parasites, compared with normal and those deficient (OR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.28-0.97; P = 0.037) under the dominant model. These heterozygous children were also associated with reduced risk of parasitaemia compared to heterozygous adults and pregnant women. Children with heterozygous α-thalassaemia trait had reduced risk of asexual parasite carriage. There was however, no association between α-thalassaemia trait and risk of gametocyte carriage.

Keywords: Alpha-thalassaemia; Gametocyte carriage; Plasmodium falciparum; Submicroscopic parasites.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carrier State* / epidemiology
  • Carrier State* / parasitology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Germ Cells
  • Ghana / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum* / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Falciparum* / parasitology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parasitemia* / epidemiology
  • Parasitemia* / parasitology
  • Plasmodium falciparum* / isolation & purification
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / parasitology
  • Prevalence
  • Reproduction, Asexual
  • Young Adult
  • alpha-Thalassemia* / epidemiology
  • alpha-Thalassemia* / genetics