RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Several factors influence the severity of Plasmodium falciparum; here, we investigate the impact of alpha+-thalassaemia genotype on P. falciparum parasitemia and prevalence of severe anaemia amongst microcytic children from Kumasi, Ghana. METHODS: Seven hundred and thirty-two children (≤10 years) with P. falciparum were categorised into normocytic and microcytic (mean cell volume ≤76 fL). Microcytic individuals were genotyped for the -α(3.7) deletional thalassaemia mutation and parasite densities determined. RESULTS: Amongst microcytic patients both parasite densities and prevalence of severe malaria parasitemia (≥100 000/µL) were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the presence of an alpha+-thalassaemia genotype compared with non-alpha+-thalassaemia genotype. There was no evidence that alpha+-thalassaemia protected against severe anaemia. The protection conferred by alpha-thalassaemia genotype against severe P. falciparum parasitemia did not change with increasing age. CONCLUSION: The severity of P. falciparum parasitemia was significantly lower in both the homozygous and heterozygous alpha+-thalassaemia groups compared with microcytic individuals with non-alpha+-thalassaemia genotype. The protective effect, from severe malaria, of the alpha+-thalassaemia allele does not alter with age.
Assuntos
Eritrócitos/parasitologia , Malária Falciparum/genética , Parasitemia/genética , Fatores de Proteção , alfa-Globinas/genética , Talassemia alfa/genética , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Índices de Eritrócitos , Eritrócitos/patologia , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Genótipo , Gana , Heterozigoto , Homozigoto , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Malária Falciparum/sangue , Malária Falciparum/parasitologia , Malária Falciparum/patologia , Masculino , Parasitemia/sangue , Parasitemia/patologia , Plasmodium falciparum/fisiologia , Prevalência , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , alfa-Globinas/deficiência , Talassemia alfa/sangue , Talassemia alfa/parasitologia , Talassemia alfa/patologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Transfusion of bacterially contaminated blood can result in sepsis and will constitute a substantial health burden to the patient. OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of transfusion related sepsis and the bacterial types responsible for the contamination at the Tamale Teaching Hospital in Ghana. METHOD: We sampled 80 refrigerated donor blood at the blood bank and cultured them for bacteria. The antimicrobial sensitivities of the isolates were also determined. RESULTS: 14 blood bags representing 17.5% grew isolates of various bacteria. Ten (10) of the 14 isolates were Gram positive cocci representing 71.42% making it the commonest contaminant. 50% of the gram positive cocci were identified to be coagulase negative staphylococci and 21.42% were Staphylococcus aureus. There were 14.28% isolates which were Gram positive rods, and were identified to be Corynebacterium diphtheroids. There were two isolates which were Gram negative rods; one was identified as Escherichia coli and the other one Klebsiella pneumoniae. Sensitivity among the organisms were varied; as all the 14 (100%) of the organisms isolated were sensitive to amikacin, only 14.28% of the coagulase negative staphylococci were sensitive to co-trimoxazole, 28.5% were sensitive to ampicillin, 42.8% were sensitive to cefuroxime and 71.4% were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Sensitivity to gentamicin was observed to be 85.7% and 28.5% were sensitive to Tetracycline. Only the 10 Gram positive cocci were tested against erythromycin and Cloxacillin; where 70.00% were sensitive to cloxacillin and 90% were sensitive to erythromycin. CONCLUSION: All the Staphylococcus aureus isolated were resistant to both ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. Potential dangers and consequences of transfusing multidrug resistance bacteria have been discussed.