Abstract

This study was undertaken to establish data on the effect of acute falciparum malaria on plasma levels some biochemical parameters in the pathology of malaria in Nigeria children. We estimated the levels of Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃, Ca⁺⁺ , inorganic PO₄^=,  bilirubin,  total protein,  albumin, urea, creatinine and glucose in the plasma of 250 parasitaemic and 150 non-parasitaemic Nigerian children. Inorganic PO₄⁼, urea, creatinine and bilirubin levels were significantly elevated in the acute falciparum malarious children than in the non-parasitaemic controls. Acute falciparum malaria resulted in significant reduction of HCO₃^-, total protein, albumin and glucose levels in the malarious children. There was no significant difference in the mean values of the biochemical parameters between malarious children with relative parasite count of 1-10 asexual form of parasite in 100 high power field (hpf) of thick blood film (+) and those with 11-100 asexual form of parasite in 100 hpf  of thick blood film(++) .

Key words: Biochemical parameters, Nigerian children, acute falciparum malaria.