Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya.
Although the alpha+ thalassemias almost certainly confer protection against death from malaria, this has not been formally documented. We have conducted a study involving 655 case patients with rigorously defined severe malaria and 648 controls, frequency matched on area of residence and ethnic grou...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2005
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| _version_ | 1797080316094971904 |
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| author | Williams, T Wambua, S Uyoga, S Macharia, A Mwacharo, J Newton, C Maitland, K |
| author_facet | Williams, T Wambua, S Uyoga, S Macharia, A Mwacharo, J Newton, C Maitland, K |
| author_sort | Williams, T |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Although the alpha+ thalassemias almost certainly confer protection against death from malaria, this has not been formally documented. We have conducted a study involving 655 case patients with rigorously defined severe malaria and 648 controls, frequency matched on area of residence and ethnic group. The prevalence of both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemia was reduced in both case patients with severe malaria (adjusted odds ratios [ORs], 0.73 and 0.57; 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs], 0.57-0.94 and 0.40-0.81; P = .013 and P = .002, respectively, compared with controls) and among the subgroup of children who died after admission with severe malaria (OR, 0.60 and 0.37; 95% CI, 0.37-1.00 and 0.16-0.87; P = .05 and P = .02, respectively, compared with surviving case patients). The lowest ORs were seen for the forms of malaria associated with the highest mortality-coma and severe anemia complicated by deep, acidotic breathing. Our study supports the conclusion that both heterozygotes and homozygotes enjoy a selective advantage against death from Plasmodium falciparum malaria. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T00:58:16Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:88d514e6-ff82-4aa5-b4f0-4b6804f42f95 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T00:58:16Z |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:88d514e6-ff82-4aa5-b4f0-4b6804f42f952022-03-26T22:20:13ZBoth heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:88d514e6-ff82-4aa5-b4f0-4b6804f42f95EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2005Williams, TWambua, SUyoga, SMacharia, AMwacharo, JNewton, CMaitland, KAlthough the alpha+ thalassemias almost certainly confer protection against death from malaria, this has not been formally documented. We have conducted a study involving 655 case patients with rigorously defined severe malaria and 648 controls, frequency matched on area of residence and ethnic group. The prevalence of both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemia was reduced in both case patients with severe malaria (adjusted odds ratios [ORs], 0.73 and 0.57; 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs], 0.57-0.94 and 0.40-0.81; P = .013 and P = .002, respectively, compared with controls) and among the subgroup of children who died after admission with severe malaria (OR, 0.60 and 0.37; 95% CI, 0.37-1.00 and 0.16-0.87; P = .05 and P = .02, respectively, compared with surviving case patients). The lowest ORs were seen for the forms of malaria associated with the highest mortality-coma and severe anemia complicated by deep, acidotic breathing. Our study supports the conclusion that both heterozygotes and homozygotes enjoy a selective advantage against death from Plasmodium falciparum malaria. |
| spellingShingle | Williams, T Wambua, S Uyoga, S Macharia, A Mwacharo, J Newton, C Maitland, K Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title | Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title_full | Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title_fullStr | Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title_short | Both heterozygous and homozygous alpha+ thalassemias protect against severe and fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of Kenya. |
| title_sort | both heterozygous and homozygous alpha thalassemias protect against severe and fatal plasmodium falciparum malaria on the coast of kenya |
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