Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Surface Protein-1 Polymorphisms among Asymptomatic Sickle Cell Anemia Patients in Nigeria.

Asymptomatic malaria (ASM) has been implicated in the development of hemolytic crisis in infected sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients worldwide. This study surveyed steady state SCA Nigerian patients for ASM to investigate the influence of malaria prevention behaviors and age on parasitaemia and multiplicity of infection (MOI). A total of 78 steady SCA patients aged 5 - 27 years on routine care at three health facilities in Lagos were investigated for ASM by light microscopy and PCR with a multiplicity of infection determined by genotyping block 2 of merozoite surface protein 1 (msp1) gene of Plasmodium falciparum (P.