RELATIONSHIP OF HAPTOGLOBIN POLYMORPHISM TO MALARIA IN THE SOLOMON-ISLANDS

Haptoglobin (Hp) polymorphism and its relationship to malaria infectio ns was examined in Solomon Islanders under 25 years of age, The slide positive rate for malaria was 48% (53/111): Plasmodium vivax (Pv) 21 c ases, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) 16 cases and the remaining 16 were a mixture of Pv/Pf/P. malariae, Of 111 subjects examined, 17% (19 subjec ts) were ahaptoglobinemic (HpO). No association was observed between H pO and parasitemia, gender, anemia, serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) level, blood glucose level and enlargement of the spleen, The se results suggest that malaria may not be the major cause of HpO in t he people of the Solomon Islands.