Malaria Prevention Research Articles

Molecular Detection of Malaria Co-Infections with Some Arboviruses in Pregnant Women Attending Ante-Natal in Hospitals within Bauchi State, Nigeria

Malaria and arboviruses are public health menaces, causing major morbidity in developing countries and are more severe in pregnancy leading to adverse effects which can lead to fetal and maternal death, hence, this study determined the prevalence of dengue, zika and malaria infections among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in some hospitals within Bauchi Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria. One hundred and seventy-seven blood samples of pregnant women were collected and screened for malaria using the Rapid Diagnostic test kits, while the diagnosis for dengue and zika infections was done using real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). From the blood samples tested, 50 (28.25%) were positive for malaria, 1 (2.00%) sample was positive for dengue and dengue-malaria co-infection, however, no sample was positive for zika virus (0%). Malaria was recorded across all the age groups with a high statistical significance, dengue was prevalent between age 15-25years (2.35%) and 26-35years (1.35%) while dengue-malaria co-infection was only seen in age group 15-25years (1.18%). Pregnant women with fever and the trimesters were significantly associated with the prevalence of malaria (P<0.05 respectively); Educational qualification and occupation were significantly associated with dengue infections (P<0.05 for both) as well as dengue-malaria co-infection (P=0.05 for both), whereas history of miscarriages was only statistically associated with prevalence of dengue infections (P=0.02204). Despite the low prevalence of dengue virus among pregnant women in this study, the result of this study gives an overview of dengue, zika and malaria in Bauchi, thereby providing the first baseline data.

A cross-sectional study investigating malaria prevalence and associated predictors of infection among migrants to a newly established gold mining settlement in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia.

Malaria is a major disease burden in Ethiopia. Migration can influence malaria transmission dynamics, with individuals relocating from malaria-free highland regions to malarious lowlands potentially facing elevated risks of contracting malaria. Migrants may find it difficult to protect themselves against malaria and have limited access to diagnosis or treatment. Settlers in gold mining sites are one type of migrant and are often neglected in malaria research yet may have particularly high malaria risk. This study was a malaria prevalence survey among settlers in a new gold mining settlement in the highly malarious Gambella Region, Ethiopia. n = 590 people were surveyed for demographic information and their knowledge and practices of malaria. Participants were tested for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy. Using logistic regressions, the influence of demographic characteristics on malaria infections and bed net access were analysed. A sub-sample of participants was interviewed to comprehend settlement living conditions and healthcare accessibility. The overall prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum was 37.5% (CI 32.4-42.3%). Young children were most likely to have malaria, with individuals aged 15-24 having 67% lower odds (aOR: 0.33; CI 0.13-0.86) of infection compared to those aged 1-4years old. Meanwhile, those age 25-plus had 75% decreased odds of malaria infection (aOR 0.25; CI 0.10-0.65). Individuals with bed nets had ~50% decreased odds of testing positive for falciparum malaria than those reporting having no bed net (aOR: 0.47; CI 0.22-0.97). Individuals who relocated from low elevation with high malaria test positivity rate areas were more prone to testing positive for malaria, as were those residing in densely populated households with multiple malaria cases. Conversely, individuals from higher elevations with low malaria test positivity rates, and those living in households with 5-10 occupants and < 2 malaria infections, were more likely to possess bed nets. This gold mining settlement provides an example of an oft-neglected atypical community where malaria is a significant, but under-addressed, health problem. Within this community, future interventions focused on distributing bed nets, particularly to larger households and those with children, have great potential to alleviate the malaria burden. Efforts should also be made to provide affordable, and accessible, early diagnosis and treatment.

Influence of Altitudinal Gradient on Human Malaria Prevalence in Plateau State, Central Nigeria: A Longitudinal Study

Study’s Excerpt The relationship between altitude and malaria transmission dynamics in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria, is assessed. The highest malaria prevalence was observed at lower altitudes and vice-versa. Environmental factors (altitude) have an influence on malaria epidemiology in the region. Full Abstract This longitudinal study assessed the prevalence of human malaria infection across different altitudinal zones in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria, aiming to identify the impact of altitude on malaria transmission dynamics. Malaria is a potentially lethal disease caused by protozoan parasites called Plasmodium. Abiotic factors are known to be the main factors influencing the epidemiology of the disease. In 2018 and 2019, blood samples were taken and examined for the presence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria using the SD-PAN Ag mRDT. After that, blood film slides were created in order to calculate the parasite density for each of the four seasons' worth of positive samples. The prevalence rates of malaria in the three locations vary significantly, with the highest rates observed at lower altitudes (Pangwasa 211m) above sea level and the lowest at the highest altitude (Vwang 1330m) above sea level. Vwang has the lowest malaria prevalence of 16.25%, Jing (663m) has a higher prevalence of 40.0%, and Pangwasa has the highest prevalence at 46.9.

&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;In-Silico&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Screening of Prenylated Quercetin from &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Globimetula oreophila&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Against &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Plasmodium falciparum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Enzymes: Hope for New Antimalarial Drugs

Malaria continues to be one of the most devastating global health problems due to the high morbidity and mortality it causes in endemic regions. The search for new antimalarial targets is vital because of the increasing prevalence of drug resistance in malaria parasites. Malarial proteases constitute promising therapeutic targets as they play important roles in the parasite life cycle. The inhibition of these enzymes has pharmacological and therapeutic significance since they are involved in numerous processes, including the development, invasion, egress, and breakdown of host hemoglobin to release amino acids for parasite sustenance. In this study, &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;in silico&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; techniques were used to shed light on the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of prenylated quercetin isolated from &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Globimetula oreophila&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; on plasmepsin I and II, falciparum 2 and 3, &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Plasmodium falciparum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; calcium-dependent protein kinase 2, dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase, and serine repeat antigen 5. The test compound significantly interacts with key enzyme binding pockets through hydrogen bonds, van der Waals, and hydrophobic interactions, influencing protease specificity control. Crucial ligand features like carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were identified as essential for receptor interactions. Comparative analysis revealed the test compound&amp;apos;s strong binding affinities with energies ranging from -6.4 Kcal/mol to -9.4 Kcal/mol, indicating competitive potential against various enzymes, particularly excelling against &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Pf&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;DHFR-TS, plasmepsin-I, and SERA5 compared to native ligands. This suggests the compound&amp;apos;s ability to competitively inhibit enzyme activity by targeting co-factor binding sites, especially with specific proteases, holding promise for therapeutic applications as potent inhibitors for the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Assessment of Malaria, Anemia and Nutrition status of school-going children in the rural area of Charsadda, Pakistan

Malaria, anemia, and malnutrition are global health challenges with significant morbidity and mortality, and higher rates among children particularly in Africa. This study evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of malaria infection, anemia, and malnutrition among school-going children of Charsadda (a city of Khyber, Pakistan). A total of 400 children of aged 5-10 years were included in the study in 2023. Malaria infection was confirmed by rapid diagnostic tests. Hematocrit level was obtained using a centrifuge microhematocrit and converted to hemoglobin using standard conversion. Nutritional status was determined by the anthropometric measurements, and demographic characteristics were obtained by questionnaire. Anemia and malnutrition were defined according to the World Health Organization standards. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine association between the predictor variables and primary outcomes. In current research work 400 children were selected for the assessment of malaria and nutritional status, malaria infection was found more frequent among the students 120(12%). In addition, high prevalence of anemia 105(10.5%), malnutrition 90(9%), and stunting 70(7%) was observed, while wasting 2(0.2%) and underweight 20(2%0 had very low frequency. Malaria infection, anemia, and malnutrition were observed in12%, 10.5% and 9% of the children population, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the current health problems among the school-going children of district Charsadda the prevalence of malaria, anemia and malnutrition and their co-existence in children 5-10 years.

A study to assess the knowledge and attitude of selected tribal community regarding uses of Long Lasting Insecticidal treated Mosquito Nets for prevention and control of Malaria, in Kandhamal district, OdishaNets for prevention and control of Malaria, in Kandhamal district, Odisha

A study to assess the knowledge and attitude of selected tribal community regarding uses of Long Lasting Insecticidal treated Mosquito Nets for prevention and control of Malaria, in Kandhamal district, OdishaNets for prevention and control of Malaria, in Kandhamal district, Odisha

Impact of six-month COVID-19 travel moratorium on Plasmodium falciparum prevalence on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Importation of malaria infections is a suspected driver of sustained malaria prevalence on areas of Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Quantifying the impact of imported infections is difficult because of the dynamic nature of the disease and complexity of designing a randomized trial. We leverage a six-month travel moratorium in and out of Bioko Island during the initial COVID-19 pandemic response to evaluate the contribution of imported infections to malaria prevalence on Bioko Island. Using a difference in differences design and data from island wide household surveys conducted before (2019) and after (2020) the travel moratorium, we compare the change in prevalence between areas of low historical travel to those with high historical travel. Here, we report that in the absence of a travel moratorium, the prevalence of infection in high travel areas was expected to be 9% higher than observed, highlighting the importance of control measures that target imported infections.

Prevalence and factors associated with malaria among children aged 6 months to 10 years in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana: a community-based cross-sectional survey

BackgroundMalaria remains a major public health problem, especially among children in sub-Saharan Africa. Knowledge of malaria parasite prevalence informs targeted interventions and helps to monitor the effectiveness of those interventions. This study aimed to determine prevalence and factors associated with malaria in children aged 6 months to 10 years in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 8,741 children aged 6–59 months and 8,292 children aged 5–10 years in all 29 districts of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana in October 2020. Systematic random sampling was used to select communities, households and study participants. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from caregivers. Rapid diagnostic test kits were used to determine the presence of malaria parasites in blood samples collected by fingerprick. Factors associated with malaria RDT-positivity were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsOf 8727 children aged 6–59 months and 8279 aged 5–10 years from whom blood samples were obtained, positive results were obtained for 289 (3.3%; 95% CI 3.0–3.7) and 406 (4.9%; 95% CI 4.5–5.4) respectively. Malaria parasite prevalence in the districts ranged from 0.9 to 10.7% and 1.4–15.0% in children aged 6–59 months and 5–10 years respectively. Factors associated with increased odds of malaria included higher age (AOR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.14–1.71), and living in households without nets on the windows (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.10–2.45). On the other hand, living in households located in urban communities was associated with a lower risk of malaria (AOR 0.56; 95% CI 0.40–0.78).ConclusionThe average prevalence of malaria in the Greater Accra Region is low compared with other regions. However, there are potential hotspots that need to be targeted with appropriate interventions to accelerate the drive towards malaria elimination.

Methodology of the joint malaria prevention recommendations of Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

The expert committees for travel medicine of Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland endorse joint malaria prevention recommendations for travellers. Here, the methodological approach underlying these recommendations, including evidence sources used, risk category definitions and the role of expert opinion, is outlined.

Geostatistical evaluation of the impact of climate variability on malaria incidence In the South-West of Nigeria

Malaria remains a significant health concern in Nigeria, particularly in the South-West region. This study assesses the impact of temperature and rainfall on malaria incidence and prevalence in South-West Nigeria using remotely sensed and modelled data sourced from the Malaria Atlas Project and NASA's POWER database covering 2000 to 2020. The study adopts the Geographically Weighted Regression geostatistical model to establish the relationship between malaria and rainfall and temperature in the study area. The result shows a rising oscillating annual mean temperature trend of 0.0088oC/yr-1 from 2000 to 2020. The malaria incidence exceeds 8 million cases annually, peaking in 2020 at almost 10 million cases. The rising trend of malaria incidence highlights the inadequacy of the malaria intervention programmes to meet their goal of reducing malaria incidence by 40% by 2020. The study highlights the spatial variations, with high incidence in urban centres like Lagos and Ibadan metropolises, their satellite towns, as well as other prominent and capital towns including Oshogbo, Ilesa, Akure, Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta. Contrary to this, the greater malaria prevalence was recorded in less densely populated areas of Oyo state, Imeko-Afon, Odeda, Yewa and Ijebu-Waterside areas in Ogun state as well as Ose and Idanre in Ondo state. The Geographically Weighted Regression equation model shows a strong positive correlation between malaria prevalence and temperature at a significance of 0.76 compared to rainfall which exhibits no association indicating the relevance of temperature as an explanatory indicator of malaria. With the continuous endemicity of malaria in the South-West, malaria management and control efforts should be focused on high-incidence areas in the South-West and Nigeria in general to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goal of Good health and well-being and the eradication of malaria by 2030.

Data-driven nexus between malaria incidence and World Bank indicators in the Mekong River during 2000-2022.

The increase in hydro dams in the Mekong River amidst the prevalence of multidrug-resistant malaria in Cambodia has raised concerns about global public health. Political conflicts during Covid-19 pandemic led cross-border movements of malaria cases from Myanmar and caused health care burden in Thailand. While previous publications used climatic indicators for predicting mosquito-borne diseases, this research used globally recognizable World Bank indicators to find the most impactful indicators related with malaria and shed light on the predictability of mosquito-borne diseases. The World Bank datasets of the World Development Indicators and Climate Change Knowledge Portal contain 1494 time series indicators. They were stepwise screened by Pearson and Distance correlation. The sets of five and four contain respectively 19 and 149 indicators highly correlated with malaria incidence which were found similarly among five and four GMS countries. Living areas, ages, career, income, technology accessibility, infrastructural facilities, unclean fuel use, tobacco smoking, and health care deficiency have affected malaria incidence. Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, could contribute to the larval habitat. Seven groups of indicator topics containing 92 indicators with not-null datapoints were analyzed by regression models, including Multiple Linear, Ridge, Lasso, and Elastic Net models to choose 7 crucial features for malaria prediction via Long Short Time Memory network. The indicator of people using at least basic sanitation services and people practicing open defecation were health factors had most impacts on regression models. Malaria incidence could be predicted by one indicator to reach the optimal mean absolute error which was lower than 10 malaria cases (per 1,000 population at risk) in the Long Short Time Memory model. However, public health crises caused by political problems should be analyzed by political indexes for more precise predictions.

Prevalence of Malaria among Patients Visiting Public Hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia-Cross-Sectional Study

Background: In tropical and subtropical areas, malaria is one of the main causes of death and morbidity. Malaria is a major worldwide health concern, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Somalia, where the majority of cases and deaths from the disease occur. Malaria has a negative impact on both public health and the economic growth of many developing nations. Examining and quantifying the prevalence of malaria among outpatients who have visited hospitals were the study's goal. Study was conducted between September, and November 2023. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to 278 were collected patients visit two general hospitals at single time with obtained consented, blood samples were diagnosis used by rapid diagnosis test (RDTs), this study was identified the species of plasmodium used standard keys. Thus, this study design was cross-sectional and quantitative study. The data source was primary information, and was nonrandom sampling. The data generated was analysis using percentage and present in graph forms. Chi- square was used to determine the degree of association between malaria prevalence and factors influencing its transmission, performed by (SPSS 20 version). Results: total of 278 was recruited to conduct the study at outpatient department OPD in two hospitals, Mogadishu, Somalia. Out of 278 persons examined for malaria parasites, 12 (4.3%) were positive. Females were more participated than males 185 (66.5%). The respondents were observed 43.5% use it most of the time sleep under mosquito net. Conclusion: The investigation clearly showed that the persons with malaria infection was minimal. Because the participants aware of the threat posed by mosquitoes in their area, they placed a strong emphasis on vector control measures as reduce the number of mosquito breeding sites. They also understood the significance of indoor residual spray (IRS), which is essential for both mosquito prevention and control.

Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Anti-Leishmania Amazonensis Extracts from Ampelozizyphus Amazonicus by High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography.

Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke, known as "saracura-mirá" in the Amazon rainforest, is valued for its traditional use in malaria prevention and treatment. The plant's roots and bark are employed for these purposes, while the wood is often overlooked. Given the global importance of leishmaniasis, this research focused on A. amazonicus anti-Leishmania amazonensis potential. The ethyl acetate extract from the bark (EAEB) exhibited the most effective inhibition of intracellular amastigote growth with IC50 7.0 μg mL-1 but showed high toxicity (CC50 9.0 μg mL-1). The wood ethanol (EW) and ethyl acetate (EAEW) extracts demonstrated promising results against L. amazonensis with IC50 15.8 μg mL-1 and 10.0 μg mL-1, CC50 50.5 μg mL-1 and 22.7 μg mL-1, respectively, with EW showing the greatest promise. High-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) combined with mass spectrometry (MS) off-line detection was employed for the bioassay-guided fractionation of EAEB and EAEW using HEMWat as a solvent system. These extracts showed to be rich in saponins and triterpenes, besides the presence of glycosylated flavonoids recently reported as minor compounds. The fractions obtained from HSCCC showed high toxicity. However, this technique proved effective in obtaining fractions with a high purity level, leading to the identification of a di-glycosylated triterpene saponin from EAEB, and melaleucic acid from EAEW. These findings highlight A. amazonicus as a potential source for developing new therapeutic alternatives for leishmaniasis and HSCCC as a technique enabling better separation efficiency of complex saponin matrices.

Antimalarial Mechanisms and Resistance Status of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives.

Artemisinin is an endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia annua and is often used to treat malaria. Artemisinin's peroxide bridge is the key structure behind its antimalarial action. Scientists have created dihydroartemisinin, artemether, artesunate, and other derivatives preserving artemisinin's peroxide bridge to increase its clinical utility value. Artemisinin compounds exhibit excellent efficacy, quick action, and minimal toxicity in malaria treatment and have greatly contributed to malaria control. With the wide and unreasonable application of artemisinin-based medicines, malaria parasites have developed artemisinin resistance, making malaria prevention and control increasingly challenging. Artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium strains have been found in many countries and regions. The mechanisms of antimalarials and artemisinin resistance are not well understood, making malaria prevention and control a serious challenge. Understanding the antimalarial and resistance mechanisms of artemisinin drugs helps develop novel antimalarials and guides the rational application of antimalarials to avoid the spread of resistance, which is conducive to malaria control and elimination efforts. This review will discuss the antimalarial mechanisms and resistance status of artemisinin and its derivatives, which will provide a reference for avoiding drug resistance and the research and development of new antimalarial drugs.

Why becoming a positive deviant for malaria prevention and control: a sequential explanatory mixed methods study in Bugesera district, Rwanda

BackgroundMalaria continues to be a significant global health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan African regions. Effective prevention and control strategies are crucial in mitigating its impact. Therefore, assessing the use of malaria preventive measures, treatment-seeking behaviours, and understanding the motivating factors behind positive behaviours/practices and barriers to using malaria preventive and control measures is essential for designing successful intervention programs.MethodsUsing a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 382 heads of households in the Mareba sector, Bugesera district, Rwanda. A qualitative study followed with 30 in-depth interviews among the top performers and other community members to explore the motivations and barriers to performing positive behaviours. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data were used.ResultsThis study revealed that among those who own insecticide-treated nets, 234(89.3%) reported that they slept under the bed net the night preceding the survey; 256(67%) had fever cases in the last 24 months preceding the survey; and 214(87%) reported seeking care within 24 h. While almost all 243(98.8%) of participants who had fever case reported that they have taken all medicines as prescribed, however, a large number 263(68.8%) and 148(38.7%) still think that there are people in the community who do not take all malaria medications as prescribed and there are people who share malaria medications in the community, respectively. 82(65.1%) of those who never had a fever case believe that they have been using malaria preventive measures correctly and consistently. This study found that knowledge about malaria, family support, and community mobilization are the top motivating factors to practice positive behaviours while, lack of bet nets, poverty, and lack of time were reported as main barriers.ConclusionInterventions that target key motivating factors for adopting positive behaviours in malaria prevention and control should be prioritized. This, in turn, will reduce the disease burden on affected populations. Efforts to overcome barriers in malaria prevention and control should also be participatory. Community involvement should be at the centre of these interventions.

Assess the Effectiveness of Booklet Package on Knowledge and Attitude regarding Malaria Control and Prevention among Adolscents of selected Schools of Agroha, Hisar

Assess the Effectiveness of Booklet Package on Knowledge and Attitude regarding Malaria Control and Prevention among Adolscents of selected Schools of Agroha, Hisar

Comparative Analysis of Avian Malaria Prevalence in Rural Vs. Urban Settings in Kenya

Purpose: To aim of the study was to analyze the comparative analysis of avian malaria prevalence in rural vs. urban settings in Kenya. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study found that avian malaria was more prevalent in urban areas, likely due to higher mosquito populations and altered land use patterns that facilitate vector breeding. In contrast, rural areas exhibited lower prevalence, attributed to more extensive natural habitats that support diverse bird species and reduce mosquito density. Additionally, environmental factors such as temperature and humidity were found to play crucial roles in disease transmission, with urban settings experiencing more favorable conditions for mosquito proliferation. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Ecological niche theory, urban heat island effect &amp; environmental determinants of health theory may be used to anchor future studies on comparative analysis of avian malaria prevalence in rural vs. urban settings in Kenya. Implement targeted vector control measures in urban areas to reduce mosquito breeding sites and manage environmental factors contributing to higher avian malaria prevalence. Formulate and implement policies that address the intersection of urbanization and wildlife health.

Malaria Rapid Tests, Febrile Illness Management, and Child Mortality Across Sub-Saharan African Countries

A prompt malaria diagnosis is crucial for the management of children with febrile illness in sub-Saharan African countries, where malaria remains a leading cause of mortality among children younger than 5 years of age. The development and distribution of point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria has transformed practice, but limited systematic evidence exists on how malaria RDTs have affected the management of febrile illness and mortality for children younger than 5 years of age across sub-Saharan Africa countries. To evaluate the association between the distribution of malaria RDTs and the management of febrile illness and mortality among children younger than 5 years of age in sub-Saharan African countries. This quasi-experimental study used a novel dataset linking malaria RDT distribution to 165 nationally representative household surveys across 35 sub-Saharan African countries with mortality data. The sample comprised approximately 3.9 million child-year observations and approximately 260 000 febrile illness episodes in children younger than 5 years of age between 2000 and 2019. Fixed-effects linear probability models were used to analyze the association between variation in malaria RDTs distributed per child younger than 5 years of age (by country per year) and blood testing, antimalarial drug use, antibiotic use, use of symptomatic treatments, and mortality rates. Variation in the effects of testing and treatment was also assessed across the sub-Saharan African countries that had varying prevalence of malaria. The mortality sample included 1 317 866 children and the fever sample included 256 292 children. The mean age of the children with febrile illness was 2.4 years (SD, 1.3 years) and 49% were female. Each additional malaria RDT distributed per child younger than 5 years of age was associated with an increase of 3.5 percentage points (95% CI, 3.2-3.8 percentage points) in blood testing, an increase of 1.5 percentage points (95% CI, 1.2-1.8 percentage points) in the use of antimalarial drugs, an increase of 0.4 percentage points (95% CI, 0.1-0.6 percentage points) in antibiotic use, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points (95% CI, 0.1-0.8 percentage points) in the use of treatments for symptoms. Each additional malaria RDT distributed per child younger than 5 years of age was associated with a reduction in child mortality of 0.34 deaths per 1000 child-years (95% CI, 0.15-0.52 deaths per 1000 child-years). The effects of malaria RDT distribution on medication use and child mortality varied across prevalence settings (low vs high) for malaria; there were survival improvements only in areas that had a high prevalence of malaria. Increasing distribution of malaria RDTs was associated with increased blood testing, increased use of antimalarial drugs, and modestly improved survival in children younger than 5 years of age in sub-Saharan African countries. However, malaria RDTs were associated with increases in the rates of antibiotic use that were already high, suggesting that more comprehensive approaches to case management of febrile illness are needed.

Prevalence of Anemia and its associated factors among 6–59 months age children visiting public hospitals at Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundAnemia is a significant global public health issue among children aged 6 to 59 months, particularly in low-income countries like Ethiopia. Studies focusing on pastoral communities, especially in the Afar Region, often underestimate the prevalence of anemia in these children. To address this information gap, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among children aged 6 to 59 months in public hospitals in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia.MethodA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 6 to 59 months, using systematic random sampling, at public hospitals in the Afar Region from February 28 to April 30, 2023.The data collection tool was adapted from the Ethiopian National Food Consumption Survey and the World Health Organization Infant and Young Child Feeding guidelines. Data entry was performed using EpiData version 4.2 and Anthroplus software for anthropometric measurements. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. Binary logistic regression models were applied to identify predictors of anemia, with a p-value of ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.ResultAmong the 306 children aged 6 to 59 months, the overall prevalence of anemia was 46.41 (95 CI: 43.8–48.9 ). Of the 142 anemic children aged 6 to 59 months, 62 (43.66 ) had mild anemia, 60 (42.25 ) had moderate anemia, and 20 (14.08 ) had severe anemia. Key factors associated with anemia included mothers with no formal education, the lowest family monthly income, a family size greater than five, and rural residence. Additionally, a previous diagnosis of parasitic infection, children aged 24–35 months, early weaning, a malaria diagnosis within the past three months, and diarrhea in the last two weeks were significant predictors of anemia in children aged 6 to 59 months.ConclusionIn the current study, anemia in children aged 6 to 59 months was classified as severe and is regarded as a critical public health issue. This suggests that more efforts should be made to significantly decrease anemia by actively involving rural mothers with no formal education and low income who have children aged 6–59 months, focusing on the prevention and management of malaria, diarrhea, and parasitic infections.

The impact of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Vectobac® WDG) larvicide sprayed with drones on the bio-control of malaria vectors in rice fields of sub-urban Kigali, Rwanda

BackgroundThe core vector control tools used to reduce malaria prevalence are currently long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), and indoor residual spraying (IRS). These interventions are hindered by insecticide resistance and behavioural adaptation by malaria vectors. Thus, for effective interruption of malaria transmission, there is a need to develop novel vector control interventions and technologies to address the above challenges. Larviciding using drones was experimented as an innovative tool that could complement existing indoor interventions to control malaria.MethodsA non-randomized larviciding trial was carried out in irrigated rice fields in sub-urban Kigali, Rwanda. Potential mosquito larval habitats in study sites were mapped and subsequently sprayed using multirotor drones. Application of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) (Vectobac® WDG) was followed by entomological surveys that were performed every two weeks over a ten-month period. Sampling of mosquito larvae was done with dippers while adult mosquitoes were collected using CDC miniature light traps (CDC-LT) and pyrethrum spraying collection (PSC) methods. Malaria cases were routinely monitored through community health workers in villages surrounding the study sites.ResultsThe abundance of all-species mosquito larvae, Anopheles larvae and all-species pupae declined by 68.1%, 74.6% and 99.6%, respectively. Larval density was reduced by 93.3% for total larvae, 95.3% for the Anopheles larvae and 61.9% for pupae. The total adult mosquitoes and Anopheles gambiae sensu lato collected using CDC-Light trap declined by 60.6% and 80% respectively. Malaria incidence also declined significantly between intervention and control sites (U = 20, z = − 2.268, p = 0.023).ConclusionsThe larviciding using drone technology implemented in Rwanda demonstrated a substantial reduction in abundance and density of mosquito larvae and, concomitant decline in adult mosquito populations and malaria incidences in villages contingent to the treatment sites. The scaling up of larval source management (LSM) has to be integrated in malaria programmes in targeted areas of malaria transmission in order to enhance the gains in malaria control.