Red blood cell immune complex binding capacity in children with sickle cell trait (HbAS) living in P. falciparum malaria holoendemic region of Western Kenya

Abstract

Malaria infection leads to the formation of circulating immune complexes CICs which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of complicated malaria which includes severe malarial anemia. Children with sickle cell trait HbAS are less predisposed to getting severe manifestations of malaria. We carried out a study to determine the competence of the red blood cells RBCs of children with HbAS to bind immune complexes ICs and compared this with normal hemoglobin HbAA.

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