Preface

Blood transfusion and hematology are associated with significant advances in science and technology. This book provides a comprehensive overview of some clinically significant blood group systems, hemolytic blood transfusion reactions, and hemoglobinopathies. The aim of this book is to empower biomedical, clinical, and allied medical professionals with the tools required for evidenced-based best practice in the field of blood transfusion and management of hemoglobinopathies.

> **Osaro Erhabor,** Professor, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria

> > **Anjana Munshi** Central University of Punjab, India

Section 1

Disorders

**1**

Section 1 Disorders

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

childhood mortality in Africa.

antimalarial drugs [3].

**3**

deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa [2].

death due to malaria in some populations [4–6].

Inherited Disorders of

*falciparum* Malaria

Hemoglobin and *Plasmodium*

*Edith Christiane Bougouma and Sodiomon Bienvenu Sirima*

An estimated 300,000 babies are born each year with severe Inherited Disorders of Hemoglobin (IDH). Despite major advances in the understanding of the molecular pathology, control, and management of the IDH thousands of infants and children with these diseases are dying due to the accessibility to appropriate medical care. In addition, as malaria has been the principal cause of early mortality in several parts of the world for much of the last 5000 years, as a result, it is the strongest force for selective pressure on the human genome. That is why, in the world, there is an overlap of malaria endemicity and IDH. Over the past twenty years several studies have shown that IDH such us hemoglobin and/or red cell membrane abnormalities confer resistance to malaria reducing hence the mortality during the first years of life. This has led to the selection of populations with IDH in malariaendemic areas. This may explain the overlap between these two pathologies. This chapter aims to present the relationship between IDH and malaria susceptibility, make an overview of the current state of knowledge and the burden of IDH, and

highlight steps that require to be taken urgently to improve the situation.

Despite health better care and new strategies of disease control of, mortality remains high in many countries and worldwide [1]. Malaria is the biggest cause of

In 2018, malaria was the cause of about 405 000 deaths, More than 90% of these

Malaria parasites enter red blood cells during key stages of their life cycle so that there is no surprise that a change of red blood structures or make-up could affect malaria infection. Some changes of red blood cells make more resistant to malaria infection whereas others create the potential for a harmful reaction to certain

*Falciparum* malaria has had a profound effect on human evolution, evidenced by the high frequencies of malaria protective mutations observed in populations from historically malarious regions. This big pressure has resulted in the selection of many genetic variants that confer protection against severe malaria and reducing

**Keywords:** Hemoglobin, Inherited Disorders, malaria, host genetics
