Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: Screening of 200 Zambian new born

Abstract

Two hundred newborn children were studied for the frequency of occurrence of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency at University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka. An overall frequency of 11.5 percent was observed. Of the 102 males 13.7 percent were deficient and amongst 98 females 9.1 % showed deficiency. A high incidence of deficiency was observed in. people of the Nsenga (22.5%) and Ngoni (18.7%) tribes whereas the Chewa and Bemba tribes had a low incidence (less than 6°/o). Introduction Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency occurs world wide. Its incidence and clinical presentation vary considerably among different ethnic groups. It may express itself as drug-induced haemolvtic anaemia, neonatal jaundice, haemolytic anaemia following infection, chronic non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia, or favism or it may be asymptomatic (WHO, 1967). The deficiency has been studied extensively in West Africa (Gilles and Taylor, 1961; AIIison et al.,1961), Congo (Sonnet and Michaux,1960) and East Africa (AIlison,1900). There are few reports from the Southern part of Africa. Bernstein, in 1963 reported an incidence of 5-23% in South African Bantus. When WHO (1967) published its report on G-6-PD deficiency in various parts of the world. information from Zambia was non existent. In 1970, Barclay et al for the first time reported an incidence of 17.9% in .Zambia. The present study was undertaken with a view of further documenting the frequency of occurrence of G-6-PD deficiency in the population and in various tribes in Zambia.