Malaria in Children with Sickle Cell Disease Attending a Specialist Clinic in Kano State

Children with sickle cell disease face a paradoxical relationship with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, possessing partial natural protection against uncomplicated malaria yet experiencing severe complications when infected. This descriptive study assessed the prevalence and clinical profile of malaria infections among children with sickle cell disease attending a specialist haematology clinic in Kano State, Northwest Nigeria. A total of 200 children with confirmed HbSS genotype aged 1 to 15 years were enrolled. Blood samples were tested using malaria rapid diagnostic tests and Giemsa-stained thick blood films. Clinical data including full blood count, temperature, spleen size, and hospitalisation history were retrieved from medical records. Malaria prevalence was 14.5 percent, lower than the general paediatric population rate for the region. However, among those infected, 41.4 percent presented with acute severe manifestations including splenic sequestration crisis and transfusion-requiring anaemia. Proguanil chemoprophylaxis use was documented in only 27.5 percent of enrolled patients. The study recommends strict adherence to malaria prophylaxis protocols and enhanced surveillance for early infection detection to prevent life-threatening complications in sickle cell disease patients in Kano State. Keywords: sickle cell disease, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, prophylaxis, Kano State.