Laboratory investigations conducted
| Investigations | Specimen | Days collected* | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microscopy for malaria parasite | Blood | 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, 70 and 90 | To assess parasitaemia |
| Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin | Blood | 0 and 3 | To assess iron status |
| Full blood count | Blood | 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, 70 and 90 | To assess Hb change over time |
| Automated reticulocyte percentage | Blood | 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, 70 and 90 | To monitor bone marrow response |
| Quantitative PCR for Plasmodium falciparum parasites | Blood | 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, 70 and 90 | To assess submicroscopic parasitaemia |
| Urinary neopterin concentration | Urine | 3, 15 and 30 | To assess macrophage activation as measure of immune-mediated inflammation |
*No blood was collected on days 7 and 70 in 2008.
Hb, haemoglobin.