High Prevalence Of Malaria Research Articles

The discovery of human Plasmodium among domestic animals in West Sumba and Fakfak, Indonesia

Background: In Indonesia, malaria incidence is at a high rate despite maximum preventive efforts. Therefore, this study aims to determine the possibility of a Plasmodium reservoir among domestic animals in malaria-endemic areas. Methods: Animal blood was collected using EDTA tubes, then smeared and stained with Giemsa for Plasmodium microscopic identification. About 10 µl of blood was dropped on to a filter paper to capture Plasmodium DNA. Nested PCR was used for parasite molecular detection, while Plasmodium species were identified using the sequenced DNA. Results: A total of 208 and 62 animal blood samples were collected from Gaura village, West Sumba and Fakfak village, West Papua, Indonesia respectively. In total, 32 samples from Gaura contained P. falciparum or P. vivax, while the Plasmodium percentage in buffalo, horse, goat, and dogs were 20.7%, 14.3%, 5.8%, 16.7%, respectively. P. knowlesi was not found in any of the samples, and no other species were detected in 18 pig blood samples. Conclusion: Human Plasmodium existence among domestic animals in Indonesia partly explains the high prevalence and persistence of malaria in some endemic areas due to a reservoir host presence. Therefore, future studies need to ascertain the cause.

Prevalence of Malaria Infections Among Patients in Gimbie Adventist Hospital Western Wollega, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Malaria is a disease caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. The five species of parasite in humans are P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P.ovale, and P. knowlesi. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in young African children. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of malaria infection and associated factors among patients attending Gimbie Adventist Hospital in West Wollega, Oromia, Ethiopia. First, a retrospective study was carried out for the past ten years (2006-2016) to study the prevalence of malaria in the study area. Second, malaria suspected patients-based cross-sectional study was carried out from March to June, 2017. A random sampling technique was carried out to select representative study participants among the patient’s members. Structured questionnaires (n=130) and blood sample examinations were used for data collection. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS 20 version. The prevalence of malaria in males was 71(65.7%) and in females were 37(34.3%). The greatest number of malaria cases tested in the age group of 16-30 years old was 52(48.1%). Among 384 Malaria suspected patients who were recruited and ascertained for parasitaemia from the blood sample test, 108 patients were malaria positive. The overall prevalence of malaria infection was 28.1%, of which 58 (53.7%) were positive for P. falciparum and 34 (31.5%) for P. vivax and the remaining 16(14.8%) were mixed (P. falciparum + P. vivax). The Major Plasmodium species identified in this study was P. falciparum (53.7%). Out of the screened patients, 69.2% responded to sleep under the ITNs the previous night. The coverage of IRs was observed to be 12.3% during the study period. The higher prevalence of malaria could be the result of several factors as explained in this study. Therefore, effective malaria control measures should be implemented in order to reduce the prevalence of malaria infection among patients.

Prevalence, intensity and vector dynamics of malaria in Anambra east local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria

The prevalence, intensity and some vector dynamics of malaria in two communities of Anambra East Local Government Area LGA was carried out using standard parasitological and entomological techniques for rapid assessment of malaria infection, level of parasitaemia and morphological features of mosquitoes. Results showed an overall malaria RDT (Rapid Diagnostic Test) prevalence of 22% and community based prevalence of 13 (30%) and 22(24%) for Umuoba -Anam and Nando respectively. Overall, age related prevalence in the Anambra West LGA showed that the age bracket 35 to 42 years had the highest malaria prevalence 3(42.9 %). Overall sex related prevalence in Anambra East LGA showed no statistical significance in prevalence among males (12.0%) and females (10.0%) (P<0.05). The intensity of malaria infection from each of the communities revealed that both low (50-500 parasites/ µl) and medium (>500-2000 parasites/µl) parasitaemia. There was no high parasitaemia recorded in Umuoba-Anam. Overall, a total of 225 mosquitoes were encountered with anopheles making up 61%. A hundred and twenty one (53.8% of the total mosquito population in the study was found to be unfed with blood meal whereas 54(24%) and 50 (22.2%) were freshly and previously fed respectively. One hundred and twenty one (53.8%) of the mosquitoes appeared non-gravid against 82(36.4%) that are gravid. The mosquitoes encountered were Anopheles gambiae 31(13.8%), Anopheles funestus 77(34.22%), and Culex Specie 117(52%). The two communities recorded variations in prevalence, intensity and vector dynamics. There should be intensified effort to continuously educate the masses on all the strategies of malaria prevention.

Individual, household and neighborhood risk factors for malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo support new approaches to programmatic intervention.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains one of the countries most impacted by malaria despite decades of control efforts, including multiple mass insecticide treated net (ITN) distribution campaigns. The multi-scalar and complex nature of malaria necessitates an understanding of malaria risk factors over time and at multiple levels (e.g., individual, household, community). Surveillance of households in both rural and urban settings over time, coupled with detailed behavioral and geographic data, enables the detection of seasonal trends in malaria prevalence and malaria-associated behaviors as well as the assessment of how the local environments within and surrounding an individual's household impact malaria outcomes. Participants from seven sites in Kinshasa Province, DRC were followed for over two years. Demographic, behavioral, and spatial information was gathered from enrolled households. Malaria was assessed using both rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and seasonal trends were assessed. Hierarchical regression modeling tested associations between behavioral and environmental factors and positive RDT and PCR outcomes at individual, household and neighborhood scales. Among 1591 enrolled participants, malaria prevalence did not consistently vary seasonally across the sites but did vary by age and ITN usage. Malaria was highest and ITN usage lowest in children ages 6-15 years across study visits and seasons. Having another member of the household test positive for malaria significantly increased the risk of an individual having malaria [RDT: OR=4.158 (2.86-6.05); PCR: OR=3.37 (2.41-4.71)], as did higher malaria prevalence in the 250m neighborhood around the household [RDT: OR=2.711 (1.42-5.17); PCR: OR=4.056 (2.3-7.16)]. Presence of water within close proximity to the household was also associated with malaria outcomes. Taken together, these findings suggest that targeting non-traditional age groups, children >5 years old and teenagers, and deploying household- and neighborhood-focused interventions may be effective strategies for improving malaria outcomes in high-burden countries like the DRC.

Investigation on The Level of Insecticide Resistance to Malaria Vectors in Ruangwa District Lindi Region Tanzania

High malaria prevalence remains a major problem in Ruangwa District, despite the high coverage rates of malaria control interventions. The objective of this study was to assess the level of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors in southern, Tanzania. The study was conducted in three villages of Likangara, Nandagara and Chienjere. Resistance level to insecticides in An. gambiae s.l was evaluated using a standard WHO Susceptibility Test Kit. These mosquitoes were reared from larvae collected in varoius breeding sites in a major rice, vegetable and leguminous plant cultivation area in which pesticides use is intensive. Each test was run in four replicates of 25 adult non-blood fed female Anopheles gambiae s.l mosquitoes per tube. In total, 100 specimens were exposed for standard concentration of 1% fenitrothion, 0.1% bendiocarb, 0.75% permethrin and 0.05% deltamethrin using WHO susceptibility test kit. The number of knocked down mosquitoes were recorded at 10,15,20,30,50 and 60 min and mortality rates were determined after 24 hours and results were classified according to WHO guidelines, as susceptible (97-100%), possible resistance (90%-98%) and resistance (<90%). The results indicate suggestive levels of mosquitoes resistance to Bendiocarb at (75%), possible resitance levels of Deltamethrin at (95%), Permethrin at (97%) and Fenitrothion at (96%) (p < 0.05). This implies that there is reduced effectiveness of insecticides used in vector control interventions in the district. Superior insecticides should made available and introduced in order to promote the sustainable management of malaria vectors and elimination malaria transmission in the district.

Biplot and cluster analyses to describe some infectious diseases in Southeast Sulawesi

Infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms that can be transmitted directly or indirectly to humans. Understanding the characteristics of these diseases helps us to prevent and to overcome them. This study aims to discuss the profile of districts and cities in Southeast Sulawesi according to the spread of several types of infectious diseases by employing biplot and cluster analyses. The results showed that when the prevalence of tuberculosis is fairly high in a district or city, the HIV’s also follows. However, if these two diseases occur barely then the prevalence of malaria tends to be high, and vice versa. HIV is more likely to occur in Kota Kendari (Kendari City) and then followed by Buton and Konawe. In contrast, District of Muna with the lowest incidence of HIV and tuberculosis indicates the high prevalence of Malaria. The other types of diseases, such as pneumonia, DHF, and filariasis, are commonly found in Konawe Selatan and Kolaka.

Prevalence of Malaria among Febrile Patients Attending Government Hospitals in Ondo State, South-West Nigeria

Background: The use of malaria infection prevalence among febrile patients is a valuable epidemiological surveillance tool. Methods: In this study, a cross sectional study was conducted among febrile patients in selected government Hospitals in Ondo State for malaria prevalence. Results: Plasmodium falciparum is the only encountered malaria parasite with prevalence values of 82.72% (426/515) and 80.19% (413/515) obtained using microscopy and RDTs respectively. The prevalence of malaria among the males (86.59%) was higher than the females (80.65%), all age groups in this study were vulnerable with highest infection rate of 89.66% among age group 11-20 years. The parasites densities ranged between 209 and 22310 parasites/μL with a mean parasitaemia of 5522.17±183.30 parasites/μL. The prevalence of malaria among the febrile participants that have used antimalarial drug before visiting the hospital is 82.94% (389/469) with the mean parasitaemia of 4615.21±188.14 parasites/μL while those that have used herbs before visiting the hospital had malaria prevalence of 85.03% (142/167) with the mean parasitaemia of 4913.81±330.20 parasites/μL. Conclusion: There was high prevalence of malaria among febrile patients. This finding will help improve the diagnosis and treatment of other febrile (non-malaria) infections, limit antimalarial usage to only malaria parasite-based test true positives and serve as a guide to combat malaria drug resistance in the study area.

Co-infection of hepatitis E virus and Plasmodium falciparum malaria: A genuine risk in sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundThere is a high prevalence of malaria and viral hepatitis in South Africa. Co-infection with Plasmodium malaria (leading to cerebral malaria) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a rare phenomenon.Case presentationA 33-year-old African American male with no past medical history developed altered mental status on his return from Ivory Coast. His blood tests were significant for renal and liver failure and a high Plasmodium parasite burden of 33% on the blood smear. Interestingly, he also had a positive result for hepatitis E IgM. The patient was effectively treated with aggressive hydration and intravenous (IV) artesunate.ConclusionOur report is the first to our knowledge in the cerebral malaria literature on a patient with hepatitis E co-infection. This exciting case emphasizes the importance of considering all kinds of endemic infectious diseases when evaluating sick returning travelers presenting to the emergency department.

The Prevalence of Malaria among Children in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Malaria is one of the most public health important and life-threatening parasitic infections caused by the protozoan parasite. Since children are immunologically naive to the malaria parasite, they are the main vulnerable groups. During malaria infection, they might have a complication of anemia, cerebral malaria, coma, respiratory distress, and a decrease in cognitive and behavioral improvement. Therefore, this review was aimed at determining the pooled prevalence of malaria among children in Ethiopia. Methods The current systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted based on the guideline of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guideline. Electronic bibliographic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct were used for searching relevant literature. Besides, the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. Using the STATA 14 software, the pooled Meta logistic regression was computed to present the pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Result The overall estimated pooled prevalence of malaria among children in Ethiopia was 9.07 (95% CI: 6.32, 11.82). Subgroup analysis based on malaria signs and symptoms showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria among asymptomatic and symptomatic children was 6.67% (95% CI: 0.36, 12.98) and 27.17% (95% CI: 18.59, 35.76), respectively. Conclusion The findings revealed a high prevalence of malaria among children in Ethiopia. As a result, still there is a need of improving and rechecking the existing malaria prevention and control measures of the country.

An Extension of Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition on Investigating the Correlation of Maternal Education and Childhood Malaria Infection in Nigeria

Malaria infection is a major public health problem in Nigeria, more especially among pregnant women and children. Despite the assertion that mother’s education is likely to influence her health care seeking behaviour and that of her child. The relationship between maternal education and malaria, a leading cause of child mortality, has not garnered adequate research in Nigeria. Therefore, this study used the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition to explain the gap between maternal education and childhood malaria infection. The outcome variable was children ever had fever which was used as a proxy for occurrence of malaria, while our main explanatory variable was maternal education. The statistical methods employed were chi-square, multilevel logistic model and Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition technique . A total sample of 28,634 children aged 0-59 months wereanalysed. The overall prevalence of malaria was found to be 12.7%. The results for multilevel logistic regression revealed that there was a statistically significant association between childhood malaria infection (CMI) and maternal education. Under-five children whose mothers had higher education (OR=0.26, 95% CI: 0.05-0.48) and those in the richest wealth quintiles (OR= 0.68,95% CI: 0.51-0.85) had a lower odds of reporting CMI compared to those with no education and in the poorest quintile respectively. Also, there exist regional differential in CMI; women in the North East (OR=3.39, 95% CI: 3.25-3.52), North West (OR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.23-1.52), South East (OR=3.17, 95% CI: 3.02-3.33) and South South (OR=2.07, 95% CI: 1.92-2.23) had 3.39,1.37, 3.17and 2.07 higher odds of reporting CMI respectively. The Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis revealed 0.34% gap between CMI for educated and non-educated mothers, while other differences explained by household wealth, region and age of the child were 68%, 0.06% and 1.03% respectively. Malaria infection is still highly prevalent in Nigeria. The higher prevalence of malaria among under-five children could be explained by several factors as observed in this study. Household wealth is the most contributing factor to the observed difference between maternal education and childhood malaria infection. Effort should be made in the area of women empowerment so as to broader enhance their socioeconomic status in Nigeria.

Satisfaction of Malaria Patients with Care by Community Health Workers Trained in Microscopy: A Mixed-Methods Study in Palawan, the Philippines.

ABSTRACTPalawan is the malaria-endemic province with the highest prevalence of malaria in the Philippines, and microscopists (community health workers) have been allowed to deliver early diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria throughout the province since 1999. To improve the quality of care, the present mixed-methods study attempted to identify the factors associated with satisfaction of patients in Palawan with their microscopists by analyzing the patients’ perspectives. First, a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 48 ex-patients and their nine microscopists. Ex-patients were asked about their satisfaction with care, and microscopists were asked about their job satisfaction and ability. Structural equation modeling was conducted for data analysis. Second, a qualitative cross-sectional study was performed using narrative interviews. Data were analyzed using the NVivo 10 software program. As a result, both studies revealed high patient satisfaction with microscopists. The quantitative study showed that ex-patients’ satisfaction with their microscopists was independently enhanced by two factors: high ability in malaria microscopic observation and low household wealth of the patients. Particularly, specific subpopulations (those with lower household wealth, relatively old people, and ethnic minorities) were more satisfied with the microscopists’ care. The qualitative study strengthens this finding by showing that their microscopists offered prompt and precise diagnosis and effective treatment for free. In conclusion, microscopists were shown to have an important role in narrowing the disparities in malaria care in Palawan. It is important to maintain/enhance the ability of microscopists in malaria microscopy to satisfy their patients.

Detection of IgM and IgG Dengue antibodies in febrile patients suspected of malaria attending health center in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Despite the public health importance of dengue infections, it is less investigated by clinicians and rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illnesses in Nigeria. The objective was to detect the presence of Dengue IgG/IgM antibodies and Plasmodium species in the blood of febrile patients. Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted among ninety-four (94) consenting febrile patients suspected of malaria in Jos. Duo detection of dengue antibodies (IgG/IgM) were determined by ELISA technique. Total DNA was extracted from patient serum and quantified to determine concentration and quality of the extraction process. Malaria was detected by Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: Dengue antibodies were detected in 55.3% (52/94) of the febrile patients. The mean age was 29.9±1.2. Highest dengue prevalence of 75% (39/52), 50% (26/52) and 59.6% (31/52) were recorded among females, students and non-users of mosquito nets, respectively. In all. 11.7% (11/94) of the samples tested positive for malaria. Age group 11-20 years recorded the highest prevalence of malaria, 63.6% (7/11). Dengue and Malaria co-infection was documented in 5.3% (5/94). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of dengue and malaria among febrile subjects. Conclusion: No association of dengue infection with gender and use of Insecticide Treated Nets was found. The lower malaria prevalence compared to dengue suggests that febrile illness in this population is shown to be associated more with dengue infection. We recommend a continuous surveillance of dengue infection in this population and consideration of dengue in the differential diagnosis of febrile illnesses.

Prevalence of Malaria among Adults in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Malaria is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the global malaria burden is in sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia. Malaria adversely affects the health of the peoples as well as the economic development of many developing countries including Ethiopia. Methods This review article was reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Related published articles were searched from online public databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. The search approach used to retrieve related articles were “prevalence,” “malaria,” “adults,” and “Ethiopia.” The quality of articles was assessed using Joana Brigg's Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. The meta-analysis was computed using STATA version 14. The pooled prevalence estimates with 95% confidence interval were analyzed using a random-effect model, and the possible source of heterogeneity across studies was indicated through subgroup analysis, inverse of variance (I2), and time series analysis. The presence of publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's regression test. Results Out of 144 studies collected, only eight full-text articles were screened and included in the final quantitative meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of malaria among adults in Ethiopia was 13.61%. Subgroup analysis based on types of malaria cases showed that the prevalence of malaria among symptomatic and asymptomatic adults was 15.34% and 11.99%, respectively. Similarly, regional subgroup analysis showed that the highest malaria prevalence was recorded in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) (16.17%) followed by Oromia Regional State (13.11%) and Amhara Regional State (12.41%). Discussion and Conclusion. The current systematic review and meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria among adults was found to be greater than the general population and nearly equal to pregnant women. Therefore, the current prevention and control measures, which are related to both vectors and parasites, should be strengthened.

Reduced Placental Transfer of Antibodies Against a Wide Range of Microbial and Vaccine Antigens in HIV-Infected Women in Mozambique.

Transplacental transfer of antibodies is essential for conferring protection in newborns against infectious diseases. We assessed the impact of different factors, including gestational age and maternal infections such as HIV and malaria, on the efficiency of cord blood levels and placental transfer of IgG subclasses. We measured total IgG and IgG subclasses by quantitative suspension array technology against 14 pathogens and vaccine antigens, including targets of maternal immunization, in 341 delivering HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected mother-infant pairs from southern Mozambique. We analyzed the association of maternal HIV infection, Plasmodium falciparum exposure, maternal variables and pregnancy outcomes on cord antibody levels and transplacental transfer. Our results show that maternal antibody levels were the main determinant of cord antibody levels. Univariable and multivariable analysis showed that HIV reduced the placental transfer and cord levels of IgG and IgG1 principally, but also IgG2 to half of the antigens tested. P. falciparum exposure and prematurity were negatively associated with cord antibody levels and placental transfer, but this was antigen-subclass dependent. Our findings suggest that lower maternally transferred antibodies may underlie increased susceptibility to infections of HIV-exposed infants. This could affect efficacy of maternal vaccination, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a high prevalence of HIV, malaria and unfavorable environmental factors.

MALARIAL PARASITE SCREENING OF TROOPS RETURNING FROM UN MISSION TO PAKISTAN

Objective: To establish efficacy of malaria prevention programs by screening troops returning from UN peacekeeping services in high risk areas in Africa for malarial parasites.
 Study Design: Cross sectional study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Kharian, from Jan 2017 to Jan 2019.
 Methodology: In this cross sectional study, individuals of regiments returning to Pakistan from high risk areasin Africa were screened for malarial parasites. A total of 1632 samples were analyzed during this time frame.Informed consent was taken at the individual and institutional level. Blood samples obtained from each participant were tested by both immuno-chromatographic techniques and peripheral blood films.
 Results: Total 1632 individuals were screened for malarial parasites. Peripheral blood slides were negative in allindividuals except one. Immuno-chromatographic techniques for detection of malarial parasites were positive in 17 individuals for Plasmodium falciparum antigen. Only one individual had both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum positivity via both methods. All of them were asymptomatic at the time of screening, had a past history of high grade fever treated with anti-malarial drugs and were admitted for observation and follow up.
 Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of malaria in Africa, the current prevention protocols prove to be highly efficacious in protecting UN peace-keeping forces from infection and lowering mortality rates.

Interannual Climate Variability and Malaria in Mozambique

AbstractMalaria is among the greatest public health threats in Mozambique, with over 10 million cases reported annually since 2018. Although the relationship between seasonal trends in environmental parameters and malaria cases is well established, the role of climate in deviations from the annual cycle is less clear. To investigate this and the potential for leveraging inter‐annual climate variability to predict malaria outbreaks, weekly district‐level malaria incidence spanning 2010–2017 were processed for a cross‐analysis with climate data. An empirical orthogonal function analysis of district‐level malaria incidence revealed two dominant spatiotemporal modes that collectively account for 81% of the inter‐annual variability of malaria: a mode dominated by variance over the southern half of Mozambique (64%), and another dominated by variance in the northern third of the country (17%). These modes of malaria variability are shown to be closely related to precipitation. Linear regression of global sea surface temperatures onto local precipitation indices over these variance maxima links the leading mode of inter‐annual malarial variability to the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, such that La Niña leads to wetter conditions over southern Mozambique and, therefore, higher malaria prevalence. Similar analysis of spatiotemporal patterns of precipitation over a longer time period (1979–2019) indicate that the Subtropical Indian Ocean Dipole is both a strong predictor of regional precipitation and the climatic mechanism underlying the second mode of malarial variability. These results suggest that skillful malaria early warning systems may be developed that leverage quasi‐predictable modes of inter‐annual climate variability in the tropical oceans.

Should we care about Plasmodium vivax and HIV co-infection? A systematic review and a cases series from the Brazilian Amazon

BackgroundMalaria and HIV are two important public health issues. However, evidence on HIV-Plasmodium vivax co-infection (HIV/PvCo) is scarce, with most of the available information related to Plasmodium falciparum on the African continent. It is unclear whether HIV can change the clinical course of vivax malaria and increase the risk of complications. In this study, a systematic review of HIV/PvCo studies was performed, and recent cases from the Brazilian Amazon were included.MethodsMedical records from a tertiary care centre in the Western Brazilian Amazon (2009–2018) were reviewed to identify HIV/PvCo hospitalized patients. Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes are reported. Also, a systematic review of published studies on HIV/PvCo was conducted. Metadata, number of HIV/PvCo cases, demographic, clinical, and outcome data were extracted.ResultsA total of 1,048 vivax malaria patients were hospitalized in the 10-year period; 21 (2.0%) were HIV/PvCo cases, of which 9 (42.9%) had AIDS-defining illnesses. This was the first malaria episode in 11 (52.4%) patients. Seven (33.3%) patients were unaware of their HIV status and were diagnosed on hospitalization. Severe malaria was diagnosed in 5 (23.8%) patients. One patient died. The systematic review search provided 17 articles (12 cross-sectional or longitudinal studies and 5 case report studies). A higher prevalence of studies involved cases in African and Asian countries (35.3 and 29.4%, respectively), and the prevalence of reported co-infections ranged from 0.1 to 60%.ConclusionReports of HIV/PvCo are scarce in the literature, with only a few studies describing clinical and laboratory outcomes. Systematic screening for both co-infections is not routinely performed, and therefore the real prevalence of HIV/PvCo is unknown. This study showed a low prevalence of HIV/PvCo despite the high prevalence of malaria and HIV locally. Even though relatively small, this is the largest case series to describe HIV/PvCo.

Investigación científica sobre malaria: un análisis bibliométrico en América Latina, 2011-2020

Introduction: Malaria is a protozoan disease that continues to be a serious public health problem in Latin America. The goal was to describe the scientific production of malaria in Latin America during the period 2011-2020. Materials and methods: Bibliometric study. A systematic search was carried out in Scopus, articles in IMRD format carried out in humans with malaria as the main variable were included, during the period 2011-2020. Results: 1731 malaria articles were found in Scopus, of which 590 (34.08%) were included according to the selection criteria. Scientific publication increased from 2011 to 2020 by 147.22%. It was found that 415 (70.33%) studies were published in Q1 journals and 141 (23.9%) published in Malaria Journal. Likewise, 506 (85.76%) studies were written in English language and the most influential funding entity was the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico 117 (11.44%). In 271 (45.93%) studies, the corresponding author had Brazilian affiliation, and in 53 (8.98%) articles the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz predominated. Regarding the design, 274 (46.44%) studies were descriptive, 260 (44.07%) were epidemiological and 286 (48.47%) were carried out with people from the community. Latin American scientific production on malaria has increased; there is predominance in Q1 journals, with Malaria Journal being the most important. Most of the studies are descriptive related to epidemiology. Efforts are required to increase scientific production in the rest of the Latin American countries with a high prevalence of malaria

Is the source of domestic water associated with the risk of malaria infection? Spatial variability and a mixed-effects multilevel analysis

BackgroundThere is a dearth of information on the relationship between domestic water source and malaria infection in malaria-endemic regions such as Tanzania. This study examined the geospatial variability and association between domestic water source and malaria prevalence in Tanzania. MethodsWe analyzed data from a sample of 6707 children, aged 6–59 months, from the 2017 Tanzania Malaria Indicator Survey. The outcome variable was the result of malaria testing (positive or negative) and the main explanatory variable was domestic water source (piped or non-piped). Random effect variables were administrative region and geographical zone. ArcGIS 10.7 was used to create geospatial distribution maps. A STATA MP 14.0 was used to fit a mixed-effects multilevel logistic regression to examine the factors associated with malaria prevalence. ResultsThe prevalence of malaria and non-piped domestic water source was respectively 7.3% and 59.6%. The regions and zones with a higher prevalence of malaria also had a higher percentage of non-piped water. There was a statistically significant variation in the risk of malaria across the regions (variance = 1.27; 95% CI, 0.40−4.07) and zones (variance = 4.75; 95% CI, 1.46−15.46). The final fixed-effects model showed that non-piped domestic water was significantly associated with malaria prevalence (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.64−2.89; P < 0.001). ConclusionsA non-piped source of domestic water was independently associated with positive testing for malaria. Moreover, regions with a high percentage of non-piped domestic water had a correspondingly high prevalence of malaria.

Prevalence of Malaria among Febrile Patients attending Government Hospitals in Ondo State, South-West Nigeria

Background: The use of malaria infection prevalence among febrile patients is a valuable epidemiological surveillance tool. In this study, a cross sectional study was conducted among febrile patients in selected government Hospitals in Ondo State for malaria prevalence. Results: Plasmodium falciparum is the only encountered malaria parasite with prevalence values of 82.72% (426/515) and 80.19% (413/515) were obtained for microscopy and RDTs respectively. The prevalence of malaria among the males (86.59%) was higher than the females (80.65%), all age groups in this study were vulnerable with highest infection rate of 89.66% among age group 11-20 years. The parasites densities ranged between 209 and 22310 parasites/μl with a mean parasitaemia of 5522.17 ± 183.30 parasites/μl. The prevalence of malaria among the febrile participants that have taken antimalarial drug before visiting the hospital is 82.94% (389/469) with the mean parasitaemia of 4615.21 ± 188.14 parasites/μl while among the participants that have taken herbs before visiting the hospital the prevalence is 85.03% (142/167) with the mean parasitaemia of 4913.81 ± 330.20 parasites/μl. Conclusion: There was high prevalence of malaria among febrile patients and this fi nding will help improve the diagnosis and treatment of other febrile (non-malaria) infections, limit antimalarial usage to only malaria parasite-based test true positives and serve as a guide to combat malaria drug resistance in the study area.