Analysis of Malaria Situation in Jask County During the Implementation of the Elimination Programme in 2010-2020

Abstract

Background: Currently, Iran has entered the malaria elimination phase, and no malaria cases have been observed in this country during the last two consecutive years. Continuous monitoring and analysis of the malaria situation are necessary to achieve the elimination goals set to be achieved in 2025. This study aimed to determine the malaria situation analysis during the implementation of the elimination programme in Jask county, one of the most important malaria foci in Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Jask county of Hormozgan province in the southeast of Iran from 2010 to 2020. Data were collected from the national malaria surveillance system and special forms that were completed by malaria focal points in Jask county. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software and descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 347 confirmed malaria cases were recorded, and the total number of cases was found to decrease from 114 cases in 2010 to 11 in 2020. The mean age of the patients was 23.4±19.6 years, and most cases (74.06%) belonged to 15-year-old or older people. Plasmodium vivax was the most prevalent species (83.86%). Based on the results, males were more infected (81.84%) than females, and the majority of the patients were from rural areas (86.4%). Conclusion: Malaria incidence has significantly decreased during the past eleven years in Jask county. The considerable drop in the incidence of malaria may be related to the implementation of comprehensive malaria control measures and intensive entomological and parasitological monitoring.