Ishag Adam
University of Khartoum, Sudan
Biography
Ishag Adam a holder of MD in Obstetrics and Gynecology and PhD in Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Prof Ishag is a full Professor in 2009 at Faculty of medicine, University of Khartoum Sudan. Dr. Ishag has been author or co-author on over 300 articles and 6 chapters that have appeared in peer-reviewed journals, and is a reviewer for such journals as lancet, international Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Malaria Journal and Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is on the editorial Board of BMC pregnancy and Child Birth. Prof Ishag and his collaborators succeeded to move Praziquantel during pregnancy from unsafe zoon (X) to be safely used during pregnancy as per WHO guidelines. He spent most of his carrier investigating malaria, anemia, preeclampsia and well known in the safety of artemisinins during pregnancy in RCOG guidelines.
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Both malaria and Helicobacter pylori infection can lead to maternal and perinatal adverse effects. There are few published data on interaction between malaria and H. pylori and their association with low birth weight (LBW). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between malaria, H. pylori and LBW and to assess if there is any interaction betweenmalaria and H. pylori.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A case control study was conducted at Medani Hospital, Sudan. The cases were women who delivered low birth weight (<2,500 g) and women who delivered normal weight (≥ 2,500 g) were the controls. Obstetric history was gathered using questionnaires. peripheral, placenta and umbilical cord malaria was investigated using blood film, placental histology and PCR. H. pylori IgG antibody was analysed using ELISA
Findings: There were no significant differences between the two groups (case or control, 87 in each arm) in their age, parity and body mass index. Significantly higher numbers of the cases than the controls had malaria infections (placental malaria infections on histology/ submicroscopic malaria infection); 46 (53.0%) vs., 24 (27.6%), P = 0.001. The rates of positivity for specific IgG formed against H. pylori in the maternal were 75.9% (66/87) vs 55.2% (48/87), P = 0.006 and 75.9% (66/87) vs., 34(39.1%), P < 0.001 in the cord in the cases (LBW) and in the controls, respectively. In multivariate analysis, submicroscopic malaria infections (OR=3.7, 95% CI=1.4–6.6; P= 0.007) and all P. falciparum infections (histological or submicroscopic) (OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.5–6.4; P = 0.002), H. pylori IgG seropositive maternal (OR=3.2, 95% CI=1.4–6.6; P= 0.007) and all P. falciparum infections (histological or submicroscopic) (OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.5–6.4; P = 0.002), H. pylori IgG seropositive maternal (OR=3.2, 95% CI=1.4– 7.2; P = 0.003), and cord (OR=2.4, 95% CI=2.1–10.2; P < 0.001), were significantly associated with LBW. In linear regression submicroscopic malaria infections (Coefficient = – 0.257 g; P= 0.019) and all P. falciparum infections (histological or submicroscopic) (Coefficient= –0.208g; P= 0.017), H. pylori IgG seropositivity in the maternal (Coefficient= – 0.384 g; P < 0.001), and in the cord sera (Coefficient= – 0.342 g; P < 0.001), were significantly associated with birth weight.
Conclusion & Significance: In this study both submicroscopic malaria and H. pylori were associated with LBW. Further research is needed to explore the
interaction between malaria and H. pylori .