Haptoglobin polymorphism and its relationship to malaria infections in The Gambia

The haptoglobin (Hp) status of the population of Keneba, The Gambia was investigated. Of the 825 persons examined 22.9% were ahaptoglobinaemic (HpO). The incidence of HpO was higher in the 209 persons showing malaria parasites in their blood (38.8%) than in non-parasitaemic individuals (17.5%). Children less than two years old had low incidences of HpO except in the first two months of life. After two years the incidence rose with little tendency to change in older age groups. No correlations were seen between HpO and sex, anaemia or sickle cell trait. However, a positive correlation was found with malariometric indices in all age groups except the two to four years. The Hp of individuals was found to be unstable suggesting that in Africans it is a poor genetic marker. These results indicate that Hp is utilized in removing free haemoglobin liberated intravascularly, during malaria infections and that although this is a major cause of the high incidence of HpO in The Gambia, other factors are also important.