The Study of Blood Conductivity and Viscosity in Malaria

Malaria is the most widespread disease in Africa and developing countries which has a negative effect on everyday life and causes thousands death each year. To find new, more precise, and less expensive diagnostic methods, an increasing number of studies are needed. In order to replace the conventional method for detecting the presence of malaria parasites in human blood, the electrical conductivity and viscosity of the blood of falciparum malaria were measured. To investigate the effect of malaria on physical properties; a total of hundred blood samples were collected from Khartoum state teaching hospital, samples were subdivided into two groups, fifty from the malaria patient and other fifty from healthy people setting as control group. An Ostwald viscometer, a hematocrit centrifuge and conductivity equipment were used to measure the viscosity, hematocrit and electrical conductivity of blood respectively. In this study it was found that the mean value of hematocrit for healthy individuals was 45.7%. While in malaria patients was 27.7 %, in addition, the mean value of blood viscosity for healthy individuals was 4.4 cp, while 2.8 cp, for patients. The mean value for conductivity of whole blood in healthy individuals was 4.4 m. s, whereas it was 3.9 m.s in patients, but the mean value of serum conductivity was 4.3 in patients a m.s and 8.3 in healthy individuals.

Conclusion: The results obtained in this indicated significantly changed in viscosity, hematocrit and electrical conductivity of blood due malaria parasites. These physical changes caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria can be used as new malaria diagnostic techniques.