Abstract
BackgroundMalaria epidemiology in Mauritania has been characterized on the basis of epidemiological strata, defined by climatic and geographic features, which divide the country into three zones: Sahelian zone, Sahelo-Saharan transition zone, and Saharan zone. The association between geographic stratification and malaria transmission was assessed through a series of parasitological and entomological surveys.MethodsSurveys were conducted during the ‘cool’ dry season in 2011, ‘hot’ dry season in 2012, and rainy season in 2013 in a total of 12 sentinel sites. Finger-prick capillary blood samples were collected from children aged 2–9 years old in randomly selected households for microscopic examination and rapid diagnostic test for malaria. Adult mosquitoes were sampled by pyrethrum spray catch and CDC light traps and identified using morphological keys and molecular tools.ResultsOf 3445 children included, 143 (4.15 %) were infected with malaria parasites including Plasmodium falciparum (n = 71, 2.06 %), Plasmodium vivax (57, 1.65 %), P. falciparum-P. vivax (2, 0.06 %), Plasmodium ovale (12, 0.35 %), and Plasmodium malariae (1, 0.03 %). A large majority of P. falciparum infections were observed in the Sahelo-Saharan zone. Malaria prevalence (P < 0.01) and parasite density (P < 0.001) were higher during the rainy season (2013), compared to cool dry season (2011). Plasmodium vivax was mainly observed in the Saharan region [43 of 59 (73 %) P. vivax infections], mostly in Nouakchott districts, with no significant seasonal variation. Of 3577 mosquitoes captured, 1014 (28.3 %) belonged to Anopheles spp. Anopheles gambiae was the predominant species in all three epidemiological strata during the ‘cool’ dry season in 2011 but was absent in all study sites, except for Teyarett district in Nouakchott, during the ‘hot’ dry season in 2012. During the rainy season in 2013, An. gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles pharoensis, and Anopheles rufipes were abundant in different zones.ConclusionsThe results of the present study support the stratification of malaria in Mauritania. However, the Sahelian zone had the lowest malaria prevalence, while the Sahelo-Saharan zone had the highest malaria burden. Local changes due to anthropogenic factors (i.e., human migration, urbanization, malaria interventions) should be considered in order to optimize the control strategy.
Highlights
Malaria epidemiology in Mauritania has been characterized on the basis of epidemiological strata, defined by climatic and geographic features, which divide the country into three zones: Sahelian zone, Sahelo-Saharan transition zone, and Saharan zone
Mauritania can be divided into three major epidemiological strata based on climatic and geographic features: (i) Sahelian zone along the Senegal River where artificially irrigated rice fields and dams are widespread and malaria transmission is thought to be perennial; (ii) Sahelo-Saharan transition zone in the southeastern region of the country, south of an artificial line drawn from Nouakchott to Nema, where the majority of the population practices seasonal rain-dependent agriculture and semi-nomadic livestock breeding and malaria transmission is seasonal and thought to last up to six months; and (iii) the Sahara desert to the north of the Nouakchott-Nema axis where malaria transmission is low and thought to occur episodically in oases [1, 9]
Four human malaria species were observed in contrasting proportions during different seasons in three epidemiological strata: P. falciparum (n = 71; 2.06 %), P. vivax (n = 57; 1.65 %), mixed P. falciparum-P. vivax infections (n = 2; 0.06 %), P. ovale (n = 12; 0.35 %), and P. malariae (n = 1; 0.03 %)
Summary
Malaria epidemiology in Mauritania has been characterized on the basis of epidemiological strata, defined by climatic and geographic features, which divide the country into three zones: Sahelian zone, Sahelo-Saharan transition zone, and Saharan zone. Mauritania can be divided into three major epidemiological strata based on climatic and geographic features: (i) Sahelian zone (annual rainfall, 300–500 mm) along the Senegal River where artificially irrigated rice fields and dams are widespread and malaria transmission is thought to be perennial; (ii) Sahelo-Saharan transition zone (annual rainfall, 100–300 mm) in the southeastern region of the country, south of an artificial line drawn from Nouakchott to Nema (see Fig. 1), where the majority of the population practices seasonal rain-dependent agriculture and semi-nomadic livestock breeding and malaria transmission is seasonal and thought to last up to six months; and (iii) the Sahara desert (annual rainfall, 50–100 mm) to the north of the Nouakchott-Nema axis where malaria transmission is low and thought to occur episodically in oases [1, 9]. As Mauritania attempts to move forward with an ambitious goal to reduce malaria-associated morbidity and mortality by 75 % before 2015 and eventually eliminate malaria from the country [1], there is an urgent need to establish an evidence-based malaria prevalence assessment in the general population living in different epidemiological strata that purportedly characterize malaria
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
