Haemoglobin A2 in malaria patients

Abstract The Hb A 2 level in erythrocytes was determined in 42 malaria patients who did not have β-thalassaemia or Hb E. 15 had P. vivax , 26 had P. falciparum , and 1 had a mixed infection. The Hb A 2 values ranged from 1·9 to 5·1% with a mean of 3·32% (S.D. 0·69%); in 109 normal healthy persons without signs of β-thalassaemia, the range was 1·6 to 3·9% with a mean of 3·04% (S.D. 0·45%); and in 41 β-thalasseamia trait carriers the Hb A 2 values ranged from 4·4 to 8·1% with a mean of 6·24% (S.D. 0·74%). The mean in the group of malaria patients is significantly higher (p 2 levels above the normal range; 2 of them had P. falciparum and 4 had P. vivax malaria. 2 patients had Hb F above the normal range. The values of Hb A 2 in malaria patients overlap with those in β-thalassaemia trait carriers. Therefore, in highly malarious regions, the estimation of Hb A 2 level alone for frequency study of the β-thalassaemia trait may be misleading.