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Bacteraemia in sickle cell anaemia is associated with low haemoglobin: a report of 890 admissions to a tertiary hospital in Tanzania
Author(s) -
Makani Julie,
Mgaya Josephine,
Balandya Emmanuel,
Msami Khadija,
Soka Deogratias,
Cox Sharon E.,
Komba Albert N.,
Rwezaula Stella,
Meda Elineema,
Muturi David,
Kitundu Jesse,
Fegan Gregory,
Kirkham Fenella J.,
Newton Charles R.,
Snow Robert W.,
Lowe Brett
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/bjh.13553
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , streptococcus pneumoniae , bacteremia , tanzania , salmonella typhi , confidence interval , staphylococcus aureus , pediatrics , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , biochemistry , chemistry , genetics , environmental science , environmental planning , escherichia coli , gene , biology
Summary Bacteraemia is a leading cause of morbidity in sickle cell anaemia ( SCA ), but information from studies in Africa is limited. We evaluated 890 admissions from 648 SCA patients at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. Bacteraemia was present in 43 admissions (4·8%); isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (12/43; 28%), non‐Typhi Salmonella (9/43; 21%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (3/43; 7%) and Salmonella Typhi (2/43; 5%). Compared to SCA patients without bacteraemia, SCA patients with bacteraemia had significantly lower haemoglobin [71 g/l vs. 62 g/l, odds ratio 0·72 (95% confidence interval 0·56–0·91), P < 0·01]. Further exploration is needed of the relationship between anaemia and bacterial infections in SCA in Africa.