ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS LEVELS IN MALARIA PARASITEMIC PREGNANT WOMEN MAY INFLUENCE THE VIRULENCE OF THE PARASITES: RE-APPRAISING SUPPLEMENTATIONS IN MALARIA-ENDEMIC AREAS

• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Enugu, Nigeria. 2016-11-01
• Series: Journal of Experimental Research
• Online Access: http://www.er-journal.com/papers/ogbodo article 1- 8.pdf

Some biochemical and haematological changes have been reported in malaria parasitemic pregnant women in urban and rural malaria-endemic areas, indicating different oxidative status of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of some antioxidant vitamins in symptomatic malaria parasitemic pregnant women to re-appraise the need and extent of vitamin supplementations in this condition. It is a cross-sectional study done between September, 2011 and March, 2012. The study involved 119 pregnant women aged between 24 and 36years, who presented in antenatal clinics with full symptoms of malaria infection. They were within the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Malaria density was determined by absolute malaria parasite count while the vitamins (A, C and E) were estimated by spectrophotometric methods. Our results showed that vitamin A concentrations in controls, mild and moderate malaria densities were 16.48 and plusmn; 0.75 and micro;g/ml, 15.72 and plusmn; 0.58 and micro;g/ml and 16.19 and plusmn; 1.40 and micro;g/ml respectively, vitamin C were 31.31 and plusmn; 0.97mg/dL; 38.33 and plusmn; 2.73mg/dL and 52.17mg/dL respectively while vitamin E were 0.89 and plusmn; 0.09mg/dL; 2.05 and plusmn; 0.27mg/dL and 3.32 and plusmn; 0.23mg/dL respectively. The results indicated that there were no significant changes in vitamin A while vitamins C and E increased significantly as malaria density increased. The changes in these vitamins are indications of increased endogenous mobilization to fight oxidative stress. We opine that the results are suggestive of extra oxidative stress in symptomatic malaria parasitemia, and that inadequate concentrations of these antioxidants can potentiate the virulence of these parasites.