Anemia in a population from an endemic area of malaria, Rondônia (Brazil)

With the purpose of describing the prevalence rate of anaemia among inhabitants of a malaria endemic area--Candeias district, a periurban locality near Porto Velho, in Rondônia State, Brazilian Amazon Basin--a random population sample comprehending 1,068 individuals of all age groups (14.1% of the t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista de saúde pública 1992-06, Vol.26 (3), p.161-166
Main Authors: Cardoso, M A, Ferreira, M U, Camargo, L M, Szarfarc, S C
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Adolescent
Anemia, Hemolytic - epidemiology
Anemia, Hemolytic - parasitology
Brazil - epidemiology
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Infant
Malaria - complications
Malaria - epidemiology
Male
Prevalence
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Summary:With the purpose of describing the prevalence rate of anaemia among inhabitants of a malaria endemic area--Candeias district, a periurban locality near Porto Velho, in Rondônia State, Brazilian Amazon Basin--a random population sample comprehending 1,068 individuals of all age groups (14.1% of the total population) was screened for anaemia (measurement of blood haemoglobin concentration) and malaria (Giemsa-stained thick-smear microscopy). Two-hundred and ninety-nine individuals (28.0% of the sample) were found to be anaemic, using the cut-off haemoglobin values proposed by the World Health Organization for each age group. Highest prevalence rates were found among children with ages varying from 6 months to 1 year (70.0%) and from 1 to 6 years (38.4%), as well as in pregnant women (41.2%, 7/17) and malaria patients (44.4%, 8/18). Parasitological stoll examinations were made on a voluntary sample of 476 individuals (44.6% of the sample population); of these, 118 (26.8%) were positive. Eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, the most frequent intestinal parasite in this population sample, was detected in 67 stool samples (14.1%); only 27 patients (5.7%) eliminated Ancylostomidae eggs. In this voluntary sample, no significant difference in anaemia prevalence rates between parasite carriers and non-parasited individuals was detected. On the other hand, the more recent the last malarial episode referred to by the patients, the lighter prevalence rate of anaemia in individuals above the age of 14 years. The role played by malaria as an underlying cause of anaemia in Candeias district inhabitants, particularly in the economically active age group, is further discussed.
ISSN:0034-8910