Evaluation of the effects of malaria infection on serum lipid profile of patients attending two district hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria

A longstanding myth exists among the Igbos in the South-East of Nigeria, which associates malaria symptoms with intake of fatty meals. The rapidly growing malaria parasite requires large amounts of lipids for increase in surface area and volume of its internal membranes. We hypothesized that certain serum lipid fractions may favour the onset and/or severity of malaria infection. Patients with clinically characterized frank malaria (n=30) attending two district hospitals were selected for this study. A corresponding number without any clinical or laboratory evidence of malaria infection was used as control. Serum lipid profile was determined in both malaria patients and control using standardized laboratory procedures. Presence of malaria parasite was confirmed by the thick blood film. Result showed a statistically significant difference between malaria patients and control in the HDL fraction only (P<0.05). This contrasted sharply with findings for the other serum lipid fractions. The HDL fraction may be implicated in the pathogenesis of malaria infection. Consequently, dietary habits may be playing a role in malaria onset and/or severity. We conclude that serum lipid lowering agents may be considered as part of the management protocol for treatment of malaria infection in the disease endemic zones.