Relationship between ABO blood group system and falciparum malaria in paediatric age group

Abstract

Background: The associations of ABO blood group with different diseases were being reported from time to time. Recent works from different parts of the world have shown that O blood group is less prone and AB and B group is more prone to developed severe falciparum malaria than other blood group.

Objective: To study if there is any association existing between ABO blood group and severe falciparum malaria.

Methods: This was tertiary case control study which included 309 cases of diagnosed falciparum malaria paediatric cases. 163 health controls were screened for ABO blood group. Clinical manifestations of the patients were recorded and classified as severe / complicated according to the WHO criteria. Statistical analysis was done to find out the P value and odds ratio.

Result: Frequency of severity in ‘O’ blood group patients was lower in comparison to the severity in A and B blood group. Blood group B was significantly associated with severity when compared with uncomplicated (P<0.05, OR=0.56) and healthy controls (P<0.05, OR=0.56) of the group B. prevalence of O group in uncomplicated (P<0.001, OR=13.32) and healthy controls (P<0.005, OR=0.50) was significantly high compared to severe malaria of O group.

Conclusion: This study shows the relative immunity of O group for the severity of falciparum malaria and relative high propensity of B blood group for the severity of falciparum malaria in the pediatric age group.