HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by ZAMORA, F. Articles by HERRERA, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by ZAMORA, F. Articles by HERRERA, S.

HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS RELATED TO DAYS OF ILLNESS, RACE, AND PLASMODIUM SPECIES IN COLOMBIAN PATIENTS WITH UNCOMPLICATED MALARIA

FELIPE ZAMORA, OSCAR RAMÍREZ, JUANA VERGARA, MYRIAM ARÉVALO-HERRERA, AND SÓCRATES HERRERA^*

Prevalence of malaria-related anemia in disease-endemic regions of the American continents has been poorly studied. We describe the relationships between hemoglobin level and race, Plasmodium species, and days of illness in 150 Colombian patients with uncomplicated malaria diagnosed by thick blood smear. Hemoglobin was measured at admission and a standardized questionnaire was used to determine days of illness and other variables. Associations between hemoglobin and the variables were estimated and adjusted according to the other covariates using regression analysis. Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax were found in similar proportions and mild anemia was present in 50% of the patients. Volunteers were classified as Afro-Colombians (61%) and non-Afro-Colombians (39%). An inverse relationship between hemoglobin and days of illness was identified, and a statistical interaction was found between race and P. falciparum infection in determining the hemoglobin concentration. These observations could guide the design of research to better understand malarial anemia.

Received May 10, 2005. Accepted for publication August 4, 2005.

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Bermans Murrain for his advice and collaboration during the evaluation of the patients and Miss Ethel Faye Ruseell for her technical assistance.

Financial support: This work was supported by the John E. Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health (grant no. 1D43 TW05885-01).

These authors contributed equally to this work.

^* Address correspondence to Sócrates Herrera, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Carrera 35 No 4A-53, AA 26020, Cali, Colombia. E-mail: sherrera{at}inmuno.org

Authors’ addresses: Felipe Zamora, Juana Vergara, Myriam Arévalo-Herrera, and Sócrates Herrera, Instituto de Inmunología, School of Health, Universidad del Valle, San Fernando, AA 25574, Cali, Colombia, Telephone: 57-2-558-1931, Fax: 57-2-557-0449, and Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Carrera 35 No 4A-53, AA 26020, Cali, Colombia, Telephone: 57-2-558-3937, Fax: 57-2-556-0141, E-mail: sherrera{at}inmuno.org. Oscar Ramírez, Clinical Research Institute Fundación Clínica Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia, Telephone: 57-2-331-9090.

Reprint requests: Sócrates Herrera, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Carrera 35 No 4A-53, Cali, Colombia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. Caicedo, O. Ramirez, M. P. G. Mourao, J. Ziadec, P. Perez, J. B. Santos, F. Quinones, M. G. C. Alecrim, M. Arevalo-Herrera, M. V. G. Lacerda, et al. Comparative Hematologic Analysis of Uncomplicated Malaria in Uniquely Different Regions of Unstable Transmission in Brazil and Colombia Am J Trop Med Hyg, January 1, 2009; 80(1): 146 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]