Depression of platelet counts in apparently healthy children with asymptomatic malaria infection in a Nigerian metropolitan city.

Asymptomatic malaria infection is a common feature of malaria endemic regions in the tropics. In this prospective cross sectional survey, involving 240 children aged 1 to 8 years (Boys = 117, Girls = 123; Ratio 1:1.05), the median platelet count was 115 x 10(9)/L (IQR 97.

Comparative analysis of malaria parasite density using actual and assumed white blood cell counts.

Aim: To compare malaria parasite densities, calculated using the white cell counts (WBC) of individual children with a standard WBC count of 8.0 x 10(9)/L.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of malaria WBCs and malaria parasite densities were estimated in 240 healthy Nigerian children aged 1-8 years.