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BACKGROUND Malaria is a well-known disease caused by protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium that is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquito. It is one of the deadliest parasitic diseases of humans causing 1.5-2.7 million deaths annually with around 2.5 billion people are at risk for malaria. Malaria is known to cause various haematological abnormalities like anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, monocytosis and even fulminant disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This study analyses and statistically evaluates the various haematological alterations in patients infected with malaria and compare the presence and severity of thrombocytopenia in different species of malaria. METHODS This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Clinical Pathology Laboratory, GMC Thrissur, a tertiary care hospital in Kerala over a period of 18 months from January 2015 to June 2016. A total of 1293 patients aged more than 12 years with a clinical suspicion of malaria were evaluated. The diagnosis of malaria was confirmed by blood smear examination (thick and thin smear stained with Leishman stain). Complete blood picture with platelet count was obtained for all confirmed cases using an automated SYSMEX machine (five-part cell counter). RESULTS The findings showed that 67 out of 1293 patients (5.2%) were diagnosed to have malaria by a positive smear report. Males outnumbered females with male to female ratio 12.4:1. Maximum number cases were seen in 21-30 years age group. P. vivax was the most common species (57%). Overall 96% of patients had thrombocytopenia, 65.67% of patients had Anaemia and 35.82% of patients had leucopenia. CONCLUSIONS P. falciparum as well as P. vivax can cause significant haematological changes of which thrombocytopenia was a common finding. There was no significant difference in incidence of thrombocytopenia between P. vivax and P. falciparum infection.

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