Association of Parasite Density and Hematological Parameters of Plasmodium vivax- and Plasmodium falciparum-infected Patients Attending Merauke General Hospital, Papua, Indonesia

• Main Authors: Roy Bagus Kurniawan, -, Puspa Wardhani, -, Heny Arwati, -, Aryati, -, Trieva Verawaty Butarbutar, -, Christophorus Oetama Adiatmaja, -, Amarensi Milka Betaubun, -, Nur Chamidah, -
• Format: Article PeerReviewed
• Language: English; English; English; English
• Published: Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences 2020
• Subjects: R Medicine (General); RB37-56.5 Clinical pathology. Laboratory technique
• Online Access: https://repository.unair.ac.id/113766/1/7%20Artikel.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/113766/2/7%20Similarity.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/113766/3/7.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/113766/6/Association%20of%20Parasite%20Density%20and%20Hematological%20Parameters%20of%20Plasmodium%20vivax-%20and%20Plasmodium%20falciparum-infected%20Patients%20Attending%20Merauke%20General%20Hospital%2C%20Papua%2C%20Indonesia_Coressp%20Letter.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/113766/; https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/4881; https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2020.4881
• Institution: Universitas Airlangga

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are frequent causes of malaria. Although they are blood parasites, their biological characteristics are dissimilar, and their species-related consequences on hematological parameters have not been widely investigated. They might be valuable to distinguish both species infection, notably for an endemic region with limited diagnostic resources. AIM: This study aimed to know the species-specific effect on hematological parameters and its correlation to the parasite density in P. vivax- and P. falciparum-infected patients attending Merauke General Hospital, Papua, Indonesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Malaria patients confirmed by blood film microscopy from January 1 to July 31, 2019, were recruited, and their hematological parameters were measured using Sysmex XN-1000 instrument. All obtained data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: From 100 malaria-positive patients, 87 patients, consisting of 57 P. vivax and 30 P. falciparum patients, met criteria. Anemia and parasite density >50,000 parasites/μL were significantly higher in P. falciparum than P. vivax patients (p < 0.05) though hemoglobin concentration and parasite density were insignificantly different. Interestingly, basophil count was significantly higher in P. falciparum compared to P. vivax patients (p = 0.04). The eosinophil count was significantly higher in P. vivax (p = 0.01) than P. falciparum patients and indicated a significant positive correlation (p = 0.04, r = +0.28) with the parasite density.CONCLUSION: There were significant differences between basophil and eosinophil count between P. vivax and P. falciparum infections. Eosinophil count showed a significant positive correlation with parasite density.