Schistosoma haematobium and Plasmodium falciparum single and concomitant infections; any association with hematologic abnormalities?

Aim: To assess the association between single infection and co-infection status of the two
parasites with hematologic profiles in school children.
Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was carried out on a total of 202 school
children between ages 6-18 years (mean age 11.5 ± 2.6 years). Urine and blood samples
were collected by standard methods for concurrent microscopic diagnosis of Schistosoma
haematobium and Plasmodium falciparum infections respectively. The following hematologic
parameters; hematocrit, hemoglobin, neutrophils, leukocytes, lymphocytes and eosinophils
were determined.
Results: The prevalence of single infection was 52.0% and 59.9% for S. haematobium and P.
falciparum respectively, while 28.2% individuals were infected with the two parasites. The
prevalence of abnormal hematologic profiles in the subjects was not associated with
infection status (single or co-infection) (P > 0.05). There were however higher risk of
developing low hemoglobin concentration with P. falciparum (Prevalence = 71.0%, OR= 6.0,
CI = 3.2-11.0) with children with S. haematobium infection being weakly predisposed to
developing abnormal neutrophils (Prevalence = 53.3%, OR = 1.3, CI = 0.7-2.3). Low he-
moglobin associated risk in single infection with S. haematobium (OR= 2.0, CI = 1.1-3.6) was
increased with co-infection with P. falciparum (OR = 4.0, CI = 1.8-8.7). There seemed to be
no difference in abnormal leukocytes and eosinophils associated risk in the three infection
categories.
Conclusions: There were variations in Schistosoma and malaria parasite induced hematologic
pathologies and more studies are needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms in such
variations.