Sickle Cell Trait, Malaria and Sensorineural Hearing Loss–A Case-Control Study from São Tomé and Príncipe

Hearing loss is a problem with higher incidence in South Asia, Asia Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa. In these countries there is also associated history of anemia and malaria.

This study aims to identify a putative role of Beta globin mutation - sickle cell trait and HL in São Tomé and Príncipe population. A retrospective case-control study of a convenience sample was collected during Otolaryngologist Humanitarian Missions in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Control group includes individuals with normal hearing in both ears, and the case group has participants presenting bilateral or unilateral HL.

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Malaria: What are the Needs for Diagnosis, Treatment and Control?

Malaria is caused by infection with obligate intracellular, singlecelled protozoa of one of the four species of plasmodium, Plasmodium falciparum , Plasmodium vivax , Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malaria.

Recent human cases due to Plasmodium Knowles were reported.  Of these, P. falciparum and P. vivax are the most predominant epidemiologically. Malaria is transmitted when a competent vector, the different species of female anopheles mosquitoes, take a blood meal from somebody already infected with malaria.

About 400 species of Anopheles mosquitoes have been described and approximately 30 of these species are potential vectors of malaria that affect humans.Malaria is the world’s most deadly and life-threatening parasitic disease.

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