Impact of intestinal parasites on haematological parameters of sickle-cell anaemia patients in Nigeria

The majority of patients with sickle-cell anaemia live in the underdeveloped nations where endemic parasitic diseases are prevalent and this may exacerbate the severity of steady-state anaemia in infected patients. We studied the impact of intestinal parasites on haematological parameters of sickle-cell anaemia patients aged 18–35 years in Kano, Nigeria. Of 100 patients studied, 27 were found to be infected with intestinal parasites. There were no significant differences between patients with and without parasitic infections with respect to leukocyte and platelet counts. However, patients without parasitic infections had a significantly higher mean haematocrit than patients with parasitic infections [0.27 L/L (SD 0.03) versus 0.23 (SD 0.03) L/L]. Anaemia in sickle-cell anaemia patients may be exacerbated by intestinal parasites, and these patients should have regular stool examinations for detection and treatment of parasitic infections in order to improve their haematocrit and avoid the risk of blood transfusion.