A comparative study assessing the effect of haematological and biochemical parameters on the pathogenesis of malaria.

Malaria is one of the most common parasitic disease affecting mankind since millennia. The most pronounced changes related to malaria involve the blood and the blood forming system, the spleen and the liver. The abnormal haematological and biochemical parameters observed in malaria cases adversely affect the prognosis of the disease. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of malaria by observing the significant abnormalities in haematological and biochemical parameters in the malaria infected cases as compared to the healthy controls. The study population comprised of 138 individuals, of which 69 were malaria cases and 69 were apparently healthy controls. All the 138 individuals were subjected to haematological and biochemical workup, following which statistical analysis was done to observe any association of altered haematological and biochemical parameters with severity of malaria, as compared to the healthy controls. Among the 138 study population, 69 patients were malaria cases whereas the other 69 were healthy controls. Haematological investigations revealed, that the haemoglobin levels, total RBC counts and haematocrit were significantly altered in the malaria cases as compared to the healthy controls. Also the leucogram profile showed significant leucopenia and neutropenia in the malaria patients as compared to the controls. Thrombocytopenia was also seen to be more pronounced in the malaria infected. The liver enzymes and serum bilirubin levels were raised in the malaria cases more than the controls. Altered haematological and biochemical parameters are indicators of disease progression to severity. Early detection and management of these parameters, will prevent the development of complications in malaria. © Indian Society for Parasitology 2019.