Malaria infection: Prevalence among Bangladeshi children at a medical college hospital

Abstract

Background: Malaria infection among children under 10 years of age continues to be a serious health concern for these who are at-risk populations. This study's goal was to determine the prevalence of malaria infection among kids at the Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, who were 2 to 10 years old. Method: Utilizing the outcomes of microscopic exams (thick drops) recorded in the laboratory registers of the medical center, a descriptive and cross-sectional survey was carried out among children between the ages of 2 and 10 who visited the college hospital between July and December 2022. Results: According to the study, 68 of the 400 children aged 2 to 10 years who were registered throughout the study period tested positive for malaria, translating to a 17% overall prevalence. Males were more likely to contract the disease than females (55 cases, or 13.75%) (figure 1). The majority of cases of malaria infection were found in children aged 8 to 9 (20.75%, 22 cases), followed by children aged 10 and older (17.72%, 14 cases). With 13.6% of instances, the age group with the lowest representation was 5-7 years. The age range of 2-4 years has 15 cases, that was 16.67%.