Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and malaria--a study on north Madras population.

Blood samples from 381 healthy individuals and 236 malaria patients residing in North Madras were studied for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. The incidence of this deficiency in this area was found to be 10.05%. Partially deficient healthy females showed a protective trend against malarial infection with the Chi-squared test approaching statistical significance.