Study of plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) level as an indirect biomarker of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection

Dr(Smt.) Gulab Kanwar; Dr Suman Meena; Dr Mohini

Volume : VII, Issue : I, January - 2018

Study of plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) level as an indirect biomarker of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection

Dr Smt. Gulab Kanwar, Dr Suman Meena, Dr Mohini

Abstract :

Background : Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) level was assayed in the sera of 40 adult male and 40 adult female patients within the age group of 12–50 years presenting with acute, Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection and a control group of 40 healthy adults within the same age group.

Study objective: Study was conduct to determine diagnostic value of serum LDH level as a biomarker in patient with acute P.falciparum Infection.

Methods: Patient selection and pre–qualification were done by simple random sampling of individuals presenting at the New medical college hospital Outpatient Department (OPD)

with a history of fever and malaise within a period of one to eight days, and who were confirmed to be infected with the P. falciparum malaria parasite by microscopically examination of Giemsa–stained thin blood slides.

Results: The mean serum LDH level in male patients was found to be 562 ±236.0 IU. This level is significantly higher than the control LDH activity of 236.10±19.0 IU (p–value is less than 0.05). The mean serum LDH activity among female patients was 465 ±177.0 IU, which is a relatively higher activity compared to the control LDH activity of 236.10 ±19.0 IU (p–value is less than 0.05).

Conclusion: The combination of acute hepatocellular injury and red cell haemolysis induced by the invading merozoites may account for the increase in serum LDH activity during this infection. Therefore serum LDH activity is a potentially valuable enzymatic marker of acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria infection,especially in the absence of other complicating diseases known to be associated with the above normal serum LDH level.