PREVALENCE AND ALTERATION IN HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENT PROTO-AUSTRALOID POPULATION OF MALARIA ENDEMIC HIMALAYAN BELT OF ASSAM, INDIA

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common genetic disorder in malaria endemic regions and high among tribal population. To address the issue, the present study was framed to find out the prevalence of G6PD deficiency among the Proto-Australoid tribal population of malaria endemic Himalayan belt of Indo-Bhutan border areas of Assam and haematological changes in the target population. Screening for G6PD deficiency was done in 1436 normal individuals, out of which 6.62 percent (n=95) were found as deficient. Prevalence was higher in males (68.4%) compared to the females (31.6%). Complete Blood Count (CBC) was done in all samples. Further, analysis was performed to study the changes in the mean values of haematological parameters (both RBC and WBC indices) of G6PD normal and deficient subjects as well as between severe G6PD deficient and intermediate subjects. Subsequently association of haematological parameters with G6PD as well as between G6PD deficiency and gender was also studied. RBC indices viz., Hb, RBC and MCHC showed significant positive correlation with G6PD. No significant correlation was seen with WBC parameters.