Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 2021, 9, 52-63 https://www.scirp.org/journal/jbm ISSN Online: 2327-509X ISSN Print: 2327-5081 DOI: 10.4236/jbm.2021.91005 Jan. 22, 2021 52 Journal of Biosciences and Medicines Assessment of Platelet Numbers and Prevalence of Thrombocytopenia among Children with Severe Malaria at a Tertiary Teaching Hospital David Manukure Ansah 1 , Maxwell Hubert Antwi 2 , Seth Anane 3 , Jephthah Boateng Ashley 4 , Adomako Francisca Serwaa 5 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana 2 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nkenkaasu Government Hospital, Ghana Health Service, Offinso-North, Nkenkaasu, Ghana 3 Department of Clinical Microbiology-Parasitology Unit, KomfoAnokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana 4 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Bortianor Polyclinic, Ghana Health Service, Ga-South, Bortianor, Ghana 5 Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences, Garden City University College, Kumasi, Ghana Abstract Background: Thrombocytopenia plays an important role in the diagnosis of malaria in most countries because of the rapid decrease of platelets during malaria onset and also in severe forms of the disease. The study sought to as- sess platelet numbers and determine the prevalence of malarial thrombocy- topenia among children with febrile malaria at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hos- pital (KBTH). Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study carried out in the Department of Child Health and the Polyclinic of KBTH from April to July 2018. A total of 100 children aged from 1 to 12 years who tested malaria posi- tive for both thick and thin blood film and Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) were recruited into the study. Venous blood sample was obtained from the children and analyzed for platelet count using a haematology auto analyzer. Parasite speciation and quantification was used to classify the disease into mild, moderate and severe, and platelet numbers were also categorized into low, normal and high. Data obtained was then analyzed for prevalence of malarial thrombocytopenia in severe malaria. Results: The total studied par- ticipants were 100, 61 (61%) were males whiles 39 (39%) were females. Both severe malaria and thrombocytopenia were mostly seen in children less than 5 years of age and the males recorded more thrombocytopenia (66%) and normal platelet numbers 34 (64.2%) than the females. There was a significant higher percentage of malaria children with thrombocytosis being females How to cite this paper: Ansah, D.M., Antwi, M.H., Anane, S., Ashley, J.B. and Serwaa, A.F. (2021) Assessment of Platelet Numbers and Prevalence of Thrombocyto- penia among Children with Severe Malaria at a Tertiary Teaching Hospital. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 9, 52-63. https://doi.org/10.4236/jbm.2021.91005 Received: December 19, 2020 Accepted: January 19, 2021 Published: January 22, 2021 Copyright © 2021 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access