STUDY DESIGN
This
is a prospective case study on prevalence of malaria parasite in cord blood.
RESEARCH AREA AND POPULATION
This
study was conducted in Mile 4 Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The study
population was made up of 50 samples of cord blood from the new born neonates of
pregnant women delivery in the labour ward of the hospital between August and
November 2012.
COLLECTION OF SAMPLES
The
collection of samples was done under aseptic procedure. About 2mls of venous
blood was obtained from the umbilical vein of the cord of the new born neonates
using sterile needle and syringe for each baby.
Each
sample was then transferred aseptically from the syringe to EDTA container and
mixed thoroughly before analysis.
The
informed consent of the mothers was obtained before collection of their neonates
cord blood and ethical clearance was sought and approved by the ethical
committee of Mile 4 hospital.
The
birth weight of each neonate was obtained using a weighing machine.
Materials
and method for sample processing materials used for the study are listed in the
appendix.
PREPARATION OF THICK FILM
A
large drop (2 drops) of blood was placed on a clean grease free slide. The
drops of blood was spread in a circular motion using the tip of another slide.
The film made was allowed to air dry with the slide lying horizontally on a
flat surface for 3 minutes.
PROCEDURE FOR STAINING
The
thick film was placed on staining rack, the thick film was covered with I in 10
dilution of giemseas’s stain for 30 minutes and wash off with distilled water
and then drained and dry, the stock stain equal volume and allow the stain on
the stain to stand for 10 minutes before washing it off with tap water, then
the back of the slide was clean and stand to drain and dry.
When
the film was dry, a drop of oil immersion was applied on the film and view
microscopically using x100 objective. The following decisions were applied in
this study. Normal birth weight was between 2.5 kg and 4.okg while low birth
weight was defined as birth weight less than 2.5 kg irrespective of the
gestational age large birth weight neonates weighed more than 4.0kg term
neonates were those delivered between 37 and 42 weeks while preterm neonates
were those delivered before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.
Statistical Analysis
The
occurrence of parasitaemia in relation to age and trimester was analyzed using chi square
null hypothesis was accepted
when p>0.05.
RELATED INFORMATION