Association of ABO and Rh blood groups with Malaria infection in 24 Algorashi Area in Aljazeera State - Sudan

Abstract

Objectives: The study was aimed to detect possible association between the ABO blood groups and the malaria diseasein a cross- sectioned group sample in the endemic area in Central Sudan . Materials and Methods: during April 2017, a group of 150 patient visited 24 Algurashihospital – Aljazeera State- central Sudan - and referred to the laboratory for malaria investigations. Malaria positive patients’ samples( 114 out of 150) were correlated with the blood grouping of each patient, considering their ages and gender. Results: A total of 150 patients were included in the study, of which 114 cases were positive for Plasmodium falciparum. The number of adults affected ( n= 52) was nearly equal to the number of children (n = 48).Among the adults, this study showed different age groups had no significant correlation with incidence of malaria.The prevalence was higher among males (53.51%) than females (46.49%) and this difference was not statistically significant (p value>0.05). The results of the blood groups of the infected patients (n = 114) showed 28patients had ‘A+’ group, 14patients‘B+’ group, 64patients‘O’ group and 3 was ‘AB+’ group.It wasobserved that ‘O’ group had an advantage over other the groups (52.83%). The majority of smears showed ( one +) parasitemia of malaria. Conclusion: All age groups and both genders were affected.‘O+’ blood group had an advantage over the other three blood groups. Based on literature and the results of this study. In the present study, although malaria was more frequent among patients classified with blood group O positive Rh, an association between blood group and malaria could not be established(p value>0.05).This study supports the hypothesis that group ‘O’ individuals may be more associated with Malaria infection. Younger children were more susceptiblethan adultsto malaria infection. The study had recommended that it is unnecessary to test blood groupfor Malaria infected patients, and to carry further studies about association between Malaria and blood groups.