Description.

Main researcher(s)

Michael Boele van Hensbroek

MD, PhD

The anaemia research line was initiated by Prof. Boele van Hensbroek in 2002 as part of a Wellcome Trust career development fellowship awarded to study the aetiology and outcome of severe anaemia in Malawian children. This was the start of a very productive research theme which is still ongoing and had the New England Journal of Medicine paper by Calis et al as the initiating paper reporting on the aetiology of severe anaemia in Malawian children. Other papers on the outcome, risk factors and relationship between iron deficiency and susceptibility to infection followed. Especially the role of iron status and supplementation on haematological recovery and HIV disease progression and infection risk was studied in detailed and gave a new insight into the role of iron in infection and haemoglobin recovery. The leading role in this research line has been taken over by Prof. Kamija Phiri of the University of Malawi. Currently he is coordinating a multi-centre study evaluating the impact of intermittent presumptive treatment of malaria on the post discharge morbidity and mortality following a severe anaemia episode. This includes apart from efficacy, a cost-benefit analysis as well as feasibility component.