Abstract
Malaria and dengue fever are two major mosquito-borne infections prevalent in tropical regions such as Pakistan, where overlapping symptoms including fever, headache and body pain often complicate early diagnosis. This study, conducted at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalakot, aimed to compare the hematological abnormalities associated with both diseases and included 200 patients, comprising 100 with laboratory-confirmed malaria (via blood smear microscopy) and 100 with confirmed dengue (via NS1/IgM/IgG testing). Hematological parameters assessed were hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count, white blood cell count (WBC) and hematocrit, with abnormalities detected in 131 patients (65.5%). Among malaria patients, low hemoglobin was the most frequent abnormality (48%), followed by thrombocytopenia (38%), leukopenia (33%) and low hematocrit (26%), reflecting the destruction of red blood cells and immune-mediated suppression caused by Plasmodium infection. In contrast, dengue patients most commonly exhibited thrombocytopenia (59%), alongside low hemoglobin (32%), leukopenia (22%) and low PCV (18%), consistent with bone marrow suppression and immune-driven platelet destruction characteristic of the disease. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in thrombocytopenia and hemoglobin levels between the two groups (p < 0.05), with scatterplot visualization further supporting these trends. These findings underscore the diagnostic value of routine hematological profiling, where it can facilitate early differentiation between malaria and dengue, thereby enabling timely, disease-specific management and improved patient outcomes.