Treatment of severe malarial anaemia in East Africa's underfives-an unsolvable problem since the advent of AIDS?
Schmutzhard, E.; Rainer, J.; Rwechungura, R.I.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 82(2): 220
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-9203 PMID: 3188146 Document Number: 312347
Examination of thick blood films from 2719 children at the Rwambaizi Rural Health Centre, Karagwe, Tanzania, in 1986, revealed Plasmodium in 1566 samples (57%). 82 (5%) of the infected children (aged from 3 months to 4 years) were severely anaemic (<4 g% haemoglobin) and were given transfusions of whole fresh blood (20 mg/kg bwt), in addition to a course of chloroquine (at 25 mg/kg daily for 3-5 days). 79 children were discharged in good or improved health; 3 died, probably from cardiac arrest. The ethics of withholding life-saving blood transfusions because of the risk of HIV infection are briefly discussed.