Journal article
Comparison of an assumed versus measured leucocyte count in parasite density calculations in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria
M Laman, BR Moore, J Benjamin, N Padapu, N Tarongka, P Siba, I Betuela, I Mueller, LJ Robinson, TME Davis
Malaria Journal | Published : 2014
Abstract
Background: The accuracy of the World Health Organization method of estimating malaria parasite density from thick blood smears by assuming a white blood cell (WBC) count of 8,000/μL has been questioned in several studies. Since epidemiological investigations, anti-malarial efficacy trials and routine laboratory reporting in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have all relied on this approach, its validity was assessed as part of a trial of artemisinin-based combination therapy, which included blood smear microscopy and automated measurement of leucocyte densities on Days 0, 3 and 7. Results: 168 children with uncomplicated malaria (median (inter-quartile range) age 44 (39-47) months) were enrolled, 80.3..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank the patients and their families for their participation. We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of field staff at Mugil and Alexishafen Health Centres, and the Microscopy Unit at the Vector Borne Diseases Unit, PNG Institute of Medical Research. This study was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia project grant (#634343). ML was supported by an Australian Award PhD Scholarship, BRM by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (#1036951), IM by a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (#1043345), LJR by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (#1016443) and TMED by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship (#572561).