Assessment of Trace Elements Levels in Children with Malaria

Abstract

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by parasitic protozoans of the genus Plasmodium. Trace elements are dietary mineral that are in very minute quantities and they play significant roles in some biochemical processes leading to modifications of the causes of many diseases and also influence susceptibility to infection by malaria parasite in particular. The primary aim of this research is to assess the trace elements levels i.e selenium, copper, iron and lead in children with malaria. A total of eighty (80) subjects were recruited from University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State for this study. Fifty (50) malaria children from age 0-7years and thirty (30) non-malaria children serving as control. The samples were collected and analysed by standard method. The means and standard deviations in µg/dl of iron, copper, selenium and lead in male children with malaria are 161.19±54.62,145.59±55.32, 0.33±0.12 and 0.066±0.03 and when compared and tested statistically with their corresponding control values as 170.59±106.39, 156.39±93.58, 0.37±0.23, and 0.07±0.12 respectively, the difference was significant (p<0.05).The means and standard deviations in µg/dl of iron, copper, selenium and lead in females children with malaria are 232.86±192.62, 142.88±82.86, 0.479±0.414 and 0.06±0.04 and when compared and tested statistically with their corresponding control values as 241.38±123.78, 213.24±141.12, 0.497±0.255 and0.11±0.09 respectively, the difference was significant (p<0.05). Malaria parasite therefore has a damageable effect on the concentration of trace elements (iron, copper and selenium and lead) in children living in Edo State as a case study. In view of the importance of interest of these micronutrients, the significant variation has to be attended to check nutritional recovery in infected children, and to avoid worsening the pathological state during supplementation of these micronutrients. This implies that there may be need to supplement children with malaria with adequate micronutrients as this may be necessary in solving the menace of malaria morbidity in children.