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. 2009 Jul 20:8:166.
doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-8-166.

Impact of Plasmodium falciparum infection on the frequency of moderate to severe anaemia in children below 10 years of age in Gabon

Marielle K Bouyou-Akotet  1 , Arnaud Dzeing-Ella, Eric Kendjo, Diane Etoughe, Edgard B Ngoungou, Timothy Planche, Jean Koko, Maryvonne Kombila
Affiliations

Impact of Plasmodium falciparum infection on the frequency of moderate to severe anaemia in children below 10 years of age in Gabon

Marielle K Bouyou-Akotet et al. Malar J. .

Abstract

Background: Improving the understanding of childhood malarial anaemia may help in the design of appropriate management strategies.

Methods: A prospective observational study over a two-year period to assess the burden of anaemia and its relationship to Plasmodium falciparum infection and age was conducted in 8,195 febrile Gabonese children.

Results: The proportion of children with anaemia was 83.6% (n = 6830), higher in children between the ages of six and 23 months. Those under three years old were more likely to develop moderate to severe anaemia (68%). The prevalence of malaria was 42.7% and P. falciparum infection was more frequent in children aged 36-47 months (54.5%). The proportion of anaemic children increased with parasite density (p < 0.01). Most of infected children were moderately to severely anaemic (69.5%, p < 0.01). Infants aged from one to 11 months had a higher risk of developing severe malarial anaemia. In children over six years of age, anaemia occurrence was high (>60%), but was unrelated to P. falciparum parasitaemia.

Conclusion: Malaria is one of the main risk factors for childhood anaemia which represents a public health problem in Gabon. The risk of severe malarial anaemia increases up the age of three years. Efforts to improve strategies for controlling anaemia and malaria are needed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of patients with different degrees of parasitaemia in relation with age groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Influence of age on anaemia occurring in parasitaemic children: distribution of patients according to anaemia and age.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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