Haematological Parameters of Patients with Suspected Cases of Malaria in General Hospital Doma, Nasarawa South, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Malaria is associated with changes in haematological indices, but local evidence among patients presenting with suspected malaria at General Hospital Doma, Nasarawa South, Nigeria, remains limited. This study assessed malaria prevalence and compared haematological parameters according to infection status. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2026. Venous blood samples were obtained from 325 eligible patients with suspected malaria. Infection was investigated using microscopy and a rapid diagnostic test, and haematological indices were measured using an automated analyser. Age- and sex-specific prevalence was examined using chi-square tests, while Welch’s t-test was used to compare haematological parameters between infected and non-infected patients. Results: Malaria was detected in 84 patients (25.8%). Prevalence was highest among those aged 31–40 years (34.0%), but the association with age was not statistically significant (P = 0.2972). Prevalence was 30.9% in males and 21.4% in females (P = 0.0501). Compared with non-infected patients, infected patients had lower mean platelet counts (172.72 versus 230.46 × 10⁹/L), total white blood cell counts (6.40 versus 7.75 × 10⁹/L), lymphocyte percentages, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin. RDW-CV and eosinophil percentages were higher in infected patients. Packed cell volume and the remaining reported indices did not differ significantly. Conclusion: Malaria was identified in approximately one-quarter of patients with suspected infection. Several haematological indices differed between groups and may provide supplementary clinical information, although they cannot replace parasitological confirmation.