Pages: (27-34 )
Abstract
Parvovirus B19 is a pathogen with significant impact on anaemic patients; its importance for aggravating Plasmodium species infection
is notable. Malaria causes death in endemic region by severe anaemia which involves the destruction of red blood cells. Parvovirus B19
infection in patients with such underlying anaemic condition had been reported to cause increased degree and severity of anaemia in such
patients due to depression of erythropoiesis. This study was embarked on to evaluate the prevalence of parvovirus B19 among children aged 0 – 14 years presenting with malaria in two health facilities in Lagos State, and the association between B19 and severity of anaemia. Sixty patients with severe malaria and 30 with mild malaria were recruited into this study. Haematological parameters were measured using
Mindray Auto Haematology Analyzer, BC-300. The samples were screened for parvovirus B 19 using Albcam B19 IgM ELISA kit, (United Kingdom), and seropositive samples were subjected to Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction for detection of parvovirus B19 DNA. Seroprevalence rate of 4.4% was found in the total study population, and all four samples were positive for IgM and similarly positive for
Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR). All four samples were from patients presenting with severe malaria and none was recorded in patients with mild malaria. The prevalence of parvovirus B19 co-infection in severe malaria patients in our environment is significant, and the high risk
groups are mainly children aged 3-8 years. The study also showed that decreased haemoglobin level in patients with anemia may be an
indicator of Parvovirus B19 infection.
Keywords: Parvovirus B19, Malaria, anaemia, Children, Lagos- Nigeria,