Preventive Treatment Of Malaria Research Articles

Spatial distribution and determinants of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy: a secondary data analysis of the 2019 Ghana malaria indicators survey

BackgroundMalaria during pregnancy is associated with poor maternal, foetal, and neonatal outcomes. To prevent malaria infection during pregnancy, the World Health Organization recommended the use of intermittent preventive therapy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in addition to vector control strategies. Although Ghana’s target is to ensure that all pregnant women receive at least three (optimal) doses of SP, the uptake of SP has remained low; between 2020 and 2022, only 60% of pregnant women received optimal SP during their most recent pregnancy. This study sought to map the geospatial distribution and identify factors associated with SP uptake during pregnancy in Ghana.MethodsSecondary data analysis was conducted using the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey dataset. The data analysed were restricted to women aged 15–49 years who reported having a live birth within the two years preceding the survey. A modified Poisson regression model was used to determine factors associated with SP uptake during pregnancy. Geospatial analysis was employed to map the spatial distribution of optimal SP uptake across the ten regions of Ghana using R software.ResultsThe likelihood that pregnant women received optimal SP correlated with early initiation of first antenatal care (ANC), number of ANC contacts, woman’s age, region of residence, and family size. Overall, the greater the number of ANC contacts, the more likely for pregnant women to receive optimal SP. Women with four or more ANC contacts were 2 times (aPR: 2.16; 95% CI: [1.34–3.25]) more likely to receive optimal SP than pregnant women with fewer than four ANC contacts. In addition, early initiation and a high number of ANC contacts were associated with a high number of times a pregnant woman received SP. Regarding spatial distribution, a high uptake of optimal SP was significantly observed in the Upper East and Upper West Regions, whereas the lowest was observed in the Eastern Region of Ghana.ConclusionsIn Ghana, there were regional disparities in the uptake of SP during pregnancy, with the uptake mainly correlated with the provision of ANC services. To achieve the country’s target for malaria control during pregnancy, there is a need to strengthen intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy by prioritizing comprehensive ANC services.

Implementation of perennial malaria chemoprevention in infants at district-level in Togo: mixed methods assessment of health system readiness

IntroductionIn June 2022, WHO recommended the administration of Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC) alongside Expanded Immunization Programmes for children under two years. We investigated the health systems readiness for PMC implementation in Togo. MethodAs part of the multi-country MULTIPLY project, we conducted a mixed methods implementation research study in the 27 health facilities of Haho district in Togo. All district health care providers (n=188) and a sample of community health workers (n=43) were invited to respond to a self-administered Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices questionnaire. Structured observations in 4 health facilities and 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Descriptive analysis was conducted on quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, using an inductive approach. We report here on the implementation context for PMC, its infrastructural feasibility and its acceptability among health care workers (HCWs). ResultsOverall, respondents perceived PMC as relevant in the context of high malaria burden and had a good knowledge about malaria and its prevention. HCWs foresaw good community acceptability of PMC. Although some HCWs did not understand the rationale of PMC if children are not sick, they also believed PMC would be effective, in line with their perceptions of preventive malaria treatment during pregnancy. Several challenges were foreseen such as distance barriers for accessing health facilities, difficulties in accessing drinking water, supplies for PMC administration, or lack of dedicated health workforce and area for PMC administration. ConclusionAt district-level in Togo, overall pre-intervention acceptability of PMC was encouraging. Structural and operational challenges were identified as possible barriers to implementation feasibility.

Level of and factors associated with optimal uptake of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy at private-not-for-profit health facilities in Kasese district.

Malaria in pregnancy poses a high risk of poor maternal and neonatal outcomes and WHO recommends IPTp. However, its uptake has remained sub-optimal among mothers who attend antenatal care at private-not-for-profit health facilities. This study determined the level of and factors associated with uptake Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria for pregnant women (IPTp) at private-not-for-profit (PNFP) health facilities in Kasese District, Uganda. This was a cross-sectional study involving 396 postpartum mothers in the postnatal wards of 8 PNFP health facilities in Kasese district was conducted in September 2022. One hospital and 2 Health Centre IVs were purposively selected and 5 Health Centre IIIs selected randomly. Mothers were consecutively selected and interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were entered in epi-data version 3.1, cleaned and analyzed using STATA version 14. Data were adjusted for clustering & modified poison regression was used to determine associations of the factors and the outcome. From the analysis, level of optimal uptake of IPTp was 51.5% CI = (46.6-56.4). Being married (aPR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.06-1.7, p = 0.014), attending ANC more than 4 Visits (aPR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.09-1.54, p<0.001) positively influence optimal uptake while not taking IPTp at recommended time intervals (aPR = 0.49, 95%CI = 0.39-0.62 p<0.001) and mothers paying for IPTp drugs themselves (aPR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.57-0.97, p = 0.031) negatively influence optimal uptake. This moderate uptake of IPTp among pregnant mothers suggests insufficient protection of pregnant mothers against malaria. Efforts to improve Antenatal care attendance, taking IPTp at recommended time intervals, not paying for ITPp drugs and encouraging marriages should be intensified.

Sustained clinical benefit of malaria chemoprevention with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in pregnant women in a region with high SP resistance markers

The effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) is threatened by increasing SP-resistance in Africa. We assessed the level of SP-resistance markers, and the clinical and parasitological effectiveness of IPTp-SP in southern Mozambique. P. falciparum infection, antimalarial antibodies and dhfr/dhps SP-resistance mutants were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), suspension array technology and targeted deep sequencing, respectively, among 4016 HIV-negative women in Maputo province (2016-2019). Univariate and multivariate regression models were used to assess the association between taking the recommended three or more IPTp-SP doses (IPTp3+) and parasitological and clinical outcomes. 84.3% (3385/4016) women received three or more IPTp-SP doses. The prevalence of quintuple mutants at first antenatal care (ANC) visit was 94.2%. IPTp3+ was associated with a higher clearance rate of qPCR-detected infections from first ANC visit to delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=5.9, 95% CI: 1.5-33.3; p=0.012), lower seroprevalence at delivery of antibodies against the pregnancy-specific antigen VAR2CSADBL34 (aOR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.95; p=0.022), and lower prevalence of low birth weight deliveries (aOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41-0.90; p=0.013). A sustained parasitological effect of IPTp-SP contributes to the clinical effectiveness of IPTp3+ in areas with high prevalence of SP-resistance markers.

Factors associated with the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy in Cameroon: An analysis of data from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey.

Malaria in pregnancy is a major public health concern that contributes to a significant increase in maternal and child mortality and morbidity. Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) is a key intervention recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and implemented in Cameroon to reduce the morbidity associated with malaria during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess the distribution of the poor uptake of IPTp-SP (i.e. fewer than three doses) in Cameroon and the factors associated. We conducted a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey. Data was collected using a face-to-face questionnaire administered to mothers with at least one child under the age of five. The participants were selected using a two-stage stratified sampling process. We estimated the frequencies of mothers receiving fewer than three doses of IPTp-SP. Multilevel logistic regression modeling was used to assess the associations between key suspected determinants and uptake of fewer than three doses of IPTp-SP. Crude and adjusted Odds-Ratio (ORs) were estimated. A total of 13,527 women of childbearing age were interviewed, of whom 5,528 (40.9%) met our selection criteria. Among them, 845 (15.3%) women had no antenatal consultation (ANC) visit, 1,109 (20%) had 1-3 visits, 3,379 (61.1%) had 4-7 visits, and only 195 (3.5%) had at least eight visits. Moreover, 3,398 (61.5%, CI: 60.2-62.8) had received fewer than three doses of IPTp-SP. Our findings show that the predictors of poor uptake of IPTp-SP include attending the first ANC visit after the third month of pregnancy (aOR = 1.52, CI: 1.30-1.77), attending fewer than four ANC visits (aOR = 1.29, CI: 1.06-1.56), and not being attended to by a healthcare professional during the prenatal period (aOR = 4.63, CI: 2.81-7.64). Residing in the Sahelian regions was not increasing the risk of poor IPTp-SP uptake on its own but was positively modifying the effect of not being attended by a healthcare professional (p < 0.001). We did not find a significant association between a higher level of education and the uptake of IPTp-SP (aOR = 1.10, CI: 0.90-1.32). Nearly two third of the pregnant women in Cameroon have a poor uptake of IPTp-SP. Interventions focused on ANC provision ought to be explored and tested to address this gap, with priority assigned to the Sahelian region.

Experiences of young mothers with the uptake of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study in the Lake endemic region, Kenya.

A substantial proportion of the world population is affected by malaria with 241 million malaria cases reported globally. Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) is an effective chemotherapy but its utilisation has not been optimised. Few studies focus on young mothers and their experiences regarding the optimal uptake of IPTp-SP. The study design was cross-sectional with data derived from six focus group discussions with mothers aged 15-24 years who had a pregnancy and gave birth to a live baby within the last two years in Kisumu and Migori counties, Kenya. Inductive analysis was used to identify themes and patterns. Young mothers were motivated to take IPTp-SP during pregnancy if they had prior knowledge about SP and its associated benefits and if they were knowledgeable about the consequences of malaria infection during pregnancy. Perceived side effects of SP, lack of awareness of SP as a malaria prevention therapy, lack of knowledge on the benefits of SP, dosage and frequency of uptake, poor communication by health providers towards young mothers, and inconsistent supply of SP at health facilities inhibited young mothers from attaining the recommended 3+ doses of IPTp-SP. There is a need for health literacy programmes that focus on increasing knowledge of IPTp-SP dosage, timing and benefits for both the young pregnant mother and her foetus. Community engagement through dialogue with mentor mothers and male partners will be an important complementary approach in establishing a support system for young women for positive health outcomes including attaining the recommended 3+ doses of IPTp-SP.

Knowledge, Practices and Attitudes of Traditional Birth Attendants towards Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria Prevention among Pregnant Women within Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) for malaria among pregnant women is a recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat the various adverse outcomes of malaria in pregnant women. This adverse outcomes includes low birth weight, preterm delivery, severe anemia, maternal morbidity and mortality especially among primigravids. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) has emerged as a significant influence in our society, particularly in the realm of maternal care and childbirth. Several economic, religious and socio-cultural factors have contributed to the preference of some pregnant women for the services of TBAs over medical facilities. Therefore, the study was carried out to assess the knowledge, practices and attitudes of traditional birth attendants within Ondo West Local Government area towards IPT for pregnant women reporting to them for care and delivery. The design employed in the study was descriptive cross-sectional survey. Data were collected by means of an adapted semi-structured interviewer administered-questionnaire. The analysis of the data was done using SPSS version 26.0. Demographic parameters were summarized with simple percentages and non-parametric chi-square test was used to determine the different associations of the variables. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The findings indicated that most of the TBAs have good knowledge of the malaria vector and factors promoting the transmission of malaria. Majority (mean=82.9%) also demonstrated excellent understanding of the symptoms associated with malaria in pregnancy however, their knowledge on the risk associated with malaria in a pregnant woman remains comparably low (mean=61.1%) thereby affecting significantly their attitudes and practice to intermittent preventive treatment for malaria prevention. This is because 50% of the TBA have not heard about IPT (P=0.01) and therefore do not administer treatment to asymptomatic pregnant women as recommended by WHO (P=0.00) and report of this study shows that majority (57.40%) of them attend to more than 31 pregnant women in a year. There is need for a government-sponsored partnership between formal health workers and TBAs in this study to ensure they are trained, retrained and equipped. The integration of the TBAs into maternal health care will ensure the sustenance of government policy on the free treatment of all pregnant women intermittently for malaria as recommended by WHO.

Assessment of Implementation of Malaria Control Strategies among Pregnant Mothers Attending Antenatal Care at Bumanya Health Centre IV in Kaliro District

Although a high proportion of pregnant women had an antenatal care (ANC) visit at least once during pregnancy, the coverage level of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp-SP) and insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) remains low in Sub-Saharan Africa. A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. The outcome of the survey revealed that the majority of participants, 79%, were above 20 years old, with a mean (+/-SD) age of 25.6 (+/-SD) years. The survey also revealed that 62.67% of the participants knew about IPTp; the biggest number of participants (86.67%) reported utilizing IPTp during their current pregnancy, while 13.33% did not take IPTp. Occupation, gestational age, several ANC visits, and information about IPTp were significantly associated with IPTp uptake. The current study explored malaria IPTp uptake among pregnant women attending ANC at Bumanya HCIV. It established that an increased number of ANC visits, providing IPTp information to pregnant women, and the gestational age of pregnancy resulted in increased uptake of IPTp and thus reduced incidences of malaria cases. Keywords: Pregnancy, Women, ANC, IPTp, Malaria, Gestational age.

Increased Uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy and Scale-Up of Group Antenatal Care in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Increased Uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy and Scale-Up of Group Antenatal Care in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Predicting malaria risk considering vector control interventions under climate change scenarios

Many studies have projected malaria risks with climate change scenarios by modelling one or two environmental variables and without the consideration of malaria control interventions. We aimed to predict the risk of malaria with climate change considering the influence of rainfall, humidity, temperatures, vegetation, and vector control interventions (indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN)). We used negative binomial models based on weekly malaria data from six facility-based surveillance sites in Uganda from 2010–2018, to estimate associations between malaria, environmental variables and interventions, accounting for the non-linearity of environmental variables. Associations were applied to future climate scenarios to predict malaria distribution using an ensemble of Regional Climate Models under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Predictions including interaction effects between environmental variables and interventions were also explored. The results showed upward trends in the annual malaria cases by 25% to 30% by 2050s in the absence of intervention but there was great variability in the predictions (historical vs RCP 4.5 medians [Min–Max]: 16,785 [9,902–74,382] vs 21,289 [11,796–70,606]). The combination of IRS and LLIN, IRS alone, and LLIN alone would contribute to reducing the malaria burden by 76%, 63% and 35% respectively. Similar conclusions were drawn from the predictions of the models with and without interactions between environmental factors and interventions, suggesting that the interactions have no added value for the predictions. The results highlight the need for maintaining vector control interventions for malaria prevention and control in the context of climate change given the potential public health and economic implications of increasing malaria in Uganda.

Safety and efficacy of dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women with HIV from Gabon and Mozambique: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

The cornerstone of malaria prevention in pregnancy, intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, is contraindicated in women with HIV who are receiving co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. We assessed whether IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is safe and effective in reducing the risk of malaria infection in women with HIV receiving co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and antiretroviral drugs. For this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, women with HIV attending the first antenatal care clinic visit, resident in the study area, and with a gestational age up to 28 weeks were enrolled at five sites in Gabon and Mozambique. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine at each scheduled antenatal care visit plus daily co-trimoxazole (intervention group) or placebo at each scheduled antenatal care visit plus daily co-trimoxazole (control group). Randomisation was done centrally via block randomisation (block sizes of eight), stratified by country. IPTp was given over 3 days under direct observation by masked study personnel. The number of daily IPTp tablets was based on bodyweight and according to the treatment guidelines set by WHO (target dose of 4 mg/kg per day [range 2-10 mg/kg per day] of dihydroartemisinin and 18 mg/kg per day [range 16-27 mg/kg per day] of piperaquine given once a day for 3 days). At enrolment, all participants received co-trimoxazole (fixed combination drug containing 800 mg trimethoprim and 160 mg sulfamethoxazole) for daily intake. The primary study outcome was prevalence of peripheral parasitaemia detected by microscopy at delivery. The modified intention-to-treat population included all randomly assigned women who had data for the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included frequency of adverse events, incidence of clinical malaria during pregnancy, and frequency of poor pregnancy outcomes. All study personnel, investigators, outcome assessors, data analysts, and participants were masked to treatment assignment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03671109. From Sept 18, 2019, to Nov 26, 2021, 666 women (mean age 28·5 years [SD 6·4]) were enrolled and randomly assigned to the intervention (n=332) and control (n=334) groups. 294 women in the intervention group and 308 women in the control group had peripheral blood samples taken at delivery and were included in the primary analysis. Peripheral parasitaemia at delivery was detected in one (<1%) of 294 women in the intervention group and none of 308 women in the control group. The incidence of clinical malaria during pregnancy was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (one episode in the intervention group vs six in the control group; relative risk [RR] 0·12, 95% CI 0·03-0·52, p=0·045). In a post-hoc analysis, the composite outcome of overall malaria infection (detected by any diagnostic test during pregnancy or delivery) was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (14 [5%] of 311 women vs 31 [10%] of 320 women; RR 0·48, 95% CI 0·27-0·84, p=0·010). The frequency of serious adverse events and poor pregnancy outcomes (such as miscarriages, stillbirths, premature births, and congenital malformations) did not differ between groups. The most frequently reported drug-related adverse events were gastrointestinal disorder (reported in less than 4% of participants) and headache (reported in less than 2% of participants), with no differences between study groups. In the context of low malaria transmission, the addition of IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine to co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in pregnant women with HIV did not reduce peripheral parasitaemia at delivery. However, the intervention was safe and associated with a decreased risk of clinical malaria and overall Plasmodium falciparum infection, so it should be considered as a strategy to protect pregnant women with HIV from malaria. European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 2 (EDCTP2) and Medicines for Malaria Venture. For the Portuguese and French translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Increasing the uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) through seasonal malaria chemoprevention channel delivery: protocol of a multicenter cluster randomized implementation trial in Mali and Burkina Faso

BackgroundThe uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) remains unacceptably low, with more than two-thirds of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa still not accessing the three or more doses recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In contrast, the coverage of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), a more recent strategy recommended by the WHO for malaria prevention in children under five years living in Sahelian countries with seasonal transmission, including Mali and Burkina-Faso, is high (up to 90%). We hypothesized that IPTp-SP delivery to pregnant women through SMC alongside antenatal care (ANC) will increase IPTp-SP coverage, boost ANC attendance, and increase public health impact. This protocol describes the approach to assess acceptability, feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of the integrated strategy.Methods and analysisThis is a multicentre, cluster-randomized, implementation trial of IPTp-SP delivery through ANC + SMC vs ANC alone in 40 health facilities and their catchment populations (20 clusters per arm). The intervention will consist of monthly administration of IPTp-SP through four monthly rounds of SMC during the malaria transmission season (July to October), for two consecutive years. Effectiveness of the strategy to increase coverage of three or more doses of IPTp-SP (IPTp3 +) will be assessed using household surveys and ANC exit interviews. Statistical analysis of IPT3 + and four or more ANC uptake will use a generalized linear mixed model. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with health workers, pregnant women, and women with a child < 12 months.DiscussionThis multicentre cluster randomized implementation trial powered to detect a 45% and 22% increase in IPTp-SP3 + uptake in Mali and Burkina-Faso, respectively, will generate evidence on the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of IPTp-SP delivered through the ANC + SMC channel. The intervention is designed to facilitate scalability and translation into policy by leveraging existing resources, while strengthening local capacities in research, health, and community institutions. Findings will inform the local national malaria control policies.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered on August 11th, 2022; registration # PACTR202208844472053.Protocol v4.0 dated September 04, 2023.Trail sponsor: University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Mali.

Malaria Prevalence and Macroeconomic Output in Ghana, 1990 to 2019.

In Ghana, malaria remains the number 1 reason for outpatient department visits, making it a major public health problem. Thus, there could be significant lost productivity days as a result of malaria morbidity and mortality, which could negatively affect economic output at the macrolevel. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of empirical evidence of the effect of malaria on macroeconomic output in Ghana. This study therefore aims to provide the foremost empirical evidence regarding the effect of malaria prevalence on macroeconomic output in Ghana using a time series design with data spanning the period 1990 to 2019. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), serving as a proxy for macroeconomic output, is the dependent variable, while the prevalence of malaria (overall, among only males and among only females) serves as the main independent variable. The Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression is used as the baseline estimation technique and the Instrumental Variable Two-Stage Least Square (IV2SLS) regression is employed as the robustness check estimator due to its ability to deal with endogeneity. The IV2SLS regression results show that a percentage increase in the overall prevalence of malaria is associated with a 1.16% decrease in macroeconomic output at 1% significance level. We also find that the effect of malaria in males on macroeconomic output is slightly higher relative to females. The findings from the OLS regression are not qualitatively different from the IV2SLS regression estimates. There is therefore the need to strengthen efforts such as quality case management, larval source management, mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets, social behavior change, surveillance (both epidemiological and entomological), intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy, research among others, which are important toward eliminating malaria.

Low Birth Weight and Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnant Women in Lom&amp;#233; (Togo) in 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study

Low Birth Weight and Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnant Women in Lom&amp;#233; (Togo) in 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study

Liver injury in malaria infected patients in Douala-Cameroon and its association with poor medical practice

BackgroundMalaria is an endemic mosquito-borne disease in sub-Saharan regions, including Cameroon. Due to the obligatory hepatic stage of its pathogenic agents, malaria can induce liver damage if not properly treated. Hence, we assessed the impact of malaria infection on liver transaminases among febrile patients consulting at the Deido District Hospital, Douala-Cameroon, in regard to their attitude towards the practice of preventive measures, treatment, and management of malaria.MethodsOver 10 weeks, 150 febrile patients and 28 healthy individuals serving as the control group were enrolled and their blood samples screened for Plasmodium species by Giemsa Staining and liver injury evaluated by measuring the serum level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities. The socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their attitude towards the practice of preventive measures, treatment, and management of malaria were collected using a structured- questionnaire.ResultsAmong tested febrile patients, 113 (75%) were malaria-positive. Females were more affected (65.5%) than males; the most affected age group were adults between 30-60 years (55.8%). A significant association (p˂0.05; relative risk [RR] = 1.424 or p˂0.05; RR = 1.947) was found between malaria infection and non-use of mosquito nets or insecticides, respectively. The serum level of ALT and AST activities in malaria-positive were significantly (p<0.05) increased, compared to healthy or malaria-negative individuals. Furthermore, transaminase activity was significantly (p<0.05) elevated in non-practitioners of preventive measures; and in patients who engaged in auto-medication or traditional medication, compared to those who sought treatment from health centers.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that non-practice of preventive measures, improper treatment and management of malaria infection can lead to an abnormal increase in serum level of transaminases which may reflect liver injury.

Impact of Malaria Interventions on Anaemia amongst Pregnant Women in Ghana: A Secondary Analysis of Data

Abstract Background: There is limited published literature available on the impact of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (Sp) as an intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) on anaemia amongst pregnant women in Ghana. Materials and Methods: The data from the United States Agency for International Development Malaria Indicator Survey in Ghana for 2016 and 2019 was used and analysed. Key variables, including anaemia status, ITN usage and IPTp-Sp uptake, were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and logistic regression. Results: The pregnant women who took IPTp-Sp had a 17% lower likelihood of anaemia compared to non-users. In 2019, with increased ITN usage at 57.1%, anaemia prevalence decreased to 54.5%. Pregnant women combining ITN use and IPTp uptake had a 96% lower likelihood of anaemia than those who did not. The women aged 30–39 and ≥40 being 53%–69% less likely to be anaemic, respectively, than those &lt;20 years (adjusted odds ratio = 0.47 [95% confidence interval: 0.27–0.79]). Education, parity and socio-economic status also influence anaemia risk. Conclusion: IPTp-Sp usage reduced anaemia risk in pregnancy. Combining ITN use and IPTp further decreased anaemia likelihood. Enhancing the uptake of these interventions amongst pregnant women is crucial for improving maternal health outcomes. The findings have relevance for malaria-endemic countries.

Safety and tolerability of repeated doses of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy: a systematic review and an aggregated data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundMalaria infection during pregnancy is an important cause of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity with the greatest effect being concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. In areas of moderate to high malaria transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the administration of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) to be given to all pregnant women at each scheduled antenatal care visit at monthly intervals. However, there is concern that increased resistance has compromised its effectiveness. This has led to a need for evaluation of alternatives to SP for IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) emerging as a very promising candidate. Thus, this systematic review and aggregated data meta-analysis was conducted to establish the safety and tolerability of repeated doses with DP in IPTp.MethodsA systematic review and aggregated data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed by searching electronic databases of PubMed, Science Direct, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar. RCTs comparing IPTp DP versus recommended standard treatment for IPTp with these outcome measures were analyzed; change in QTc interval, serious adverse events (SAE), grade 3 or 4 adverse events possibly related to study drug and vomiting within 30 min after study drug administration. The search was performed up to 24th June 2023. Data was extracted from eligible studies and an aggregated data meta-analysis was carried out with data pooled as risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI), using RevMan software (5.4). This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022310041.ResultsSix RCTs involving 7969 participants were included in this systematic review and aggregated data meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed that DP was associated with a change from baseline of the QTc interval although this change was not associated with cardiotoxicity. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of occurrence of SAEs among participants in both treatment groups (RR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.52–1.24], P = 0.32). However, significant difference was observed in grade 3 or 4 AEs possibly related to study drug where analysis showed that subjects on IPT DP were statistically significantly more likely to experience an AE possibly related to study drug than subjects on IPT SP (RR = 6.65, 95% CI [1.18–37.54], P = 0.03) and in vomiting within 30 min after study drug administration where analysis showed that the risk of vomiting is statistically significantly higher in subjects receiving IPT DP than in subjects receiving IPT SP (RR = 1.77, 95% CI [1.02–3.07], P = 0.04).ConclusionDP was associated with a higher risk of grade 3 or 4 AEs possibly related to study drug and a higher risk of vomiting within 30 min after study drug administration. However, these were experienced in a very small percentage of women and did not affect adherence to study drugs. DP was also better tolerated in these studies as compared to most alternatives that have been proposed to replace SP which have proved to be too poorly tolerated in IPTp use.

Prevalence of molecular markers of resistance to sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine before and after community delivery of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country evaluation

The effectiveness of community delivery of intermittent preventive treatment (C-IPT) of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has been evaluated in selected areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Nigeria. We aimed to assess the effect of C-IPTp on the potential development of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, since it could threaten the effectiveness of this strategy. Health facility-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted at baseline and 3 years after C-IPTp implementation in two neighbouring areas per country, one with C-IPTp intervention, and one without, in the four project countries. Dried blood spots from children under five years of age with clinical malaria were collected. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance-associated mutations of the P falciparum dhfr (Asn51Ile/Cys59Arg/Ser108Asn/Ile164Leu) and dhps (Ile431Val/Ser436Ala/Ala437Gly/Lys540Glu/Ala581Gly/Ala613Ser) genes were analysed. 2536 children were recruited between June 19 and Oct 10, 2018, during baseline surveys. Endline surveys were conducted among 2447 children between July 26 and Nov 30, 2021. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the dhfr/dhps IRNI/ISGEAA inferred haplotype remained lower than 10%, from 2% (5 of 296) at baseline to 8% (24 of 292) at endline, and from 3% (9 of 300) at baseline to 6% (18 of 309) at endline surveys in intervention and non-intervention areas respectively with no significant difference in the change between the areas. In Mozambique, the prevalence of this haplotype remained stable at over 60% (194 [64%] of 302 at baseline to 194 [64%] of 303 at endline, and 187 [61%] of 306 at baseline to 183 [61%] of 301 in endline surveys, in non-intervention and intervention areas respectively). No isolates harbouring the dhps ISGEAA genotype were found in Nigeria. In Madagascar, only five isolates with this haplotype were found in the non-intervention area (2 [>1%] of 300 at baseline and 3 [1%] of 300 at endline surveys). No isolates were found carrying the dhps ISGEGA genotype. C-IPTp did not increase the prevalence of molecular markers associated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance after three years of programme implementation. These findings reinforce C-IPTp as a strategy to optimise the control of malaria during pregnancy, and support the WHO guidelines for prevention of malaria in pregnancy. UNITAID [2017-13-TIPTOP].

Malariometric Indices in the Context of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in Children Aged 1.5 to 12 Years during the Period of High Malaria Transmission in the Suburban Area of Banfora, Burkina Faso.

Continuous monitoring of malaria epidemiology is needed in malaria-endemic settings to inform malaria control and elimination strategies. This study aimed to compare the malariometric indices between the under-fives and school-age children. We surveyed children aged 1.5 to 12 years for plasmodia carriage with the aim of including them in a longitudinal follow-up cohort. The survey took place from 7-11 September 2020 in a southwest area of Burkina Faso. Clinical and demographic data including malaria control measures were collected. A finger prick blood sample was taken for haemoglobin testing, and blood smears and dried blood spot preparation. The malariometric indices were calculated and compared between school-age children and those under the age of five. Multiple logistic regression was fitted to assess the association between malaria parasite carriage and age categories. Based on the PCR results, the parasite prevalence was 21.4% in the under-fives versus 44.2% in school-age children (p-value < 0.0001), with a pooled prevalence of 32.7% (CI = [28.8, 36.8]). The gametocyte prevalence was also significantly higher in school-age children (11.9%) compared to the under-fives (3.7%). Adjusted for covariates, school-age children were 2.9 times (IC = [2.0, 4.2]) more likely to carry the asexual parasite, compared to the under-fives. Malaria was moderate and stable endemic in this area and school-age children play a key role in the spread of the disease. The WHO conditional recommendation for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in school-aged children living in malaria-endemic settings with moderate to high perennial or seasonal transmission should be implemented.

Malaria in adults after the start of Covid-19 pandemic: an analysis of admission trends, demographics, and outcomes in a tertiary hospital in the Gambia

BackgroundMalaria remains a major public health concern in The Gambia. The study assessed the trend of malaria admissions and outcome of adult patients admitted after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary hospital in The Gambia.MethodsThis was a retrospective hospital-based study and data was collected from the 18th October 2020 to 28th February 2023. Demographic data, clinical features, investigations, treatment, and outcomes were recorded.ResultsA total of 499 malaria cases were admitted to the hospital over the 29 months of the study period. Data from 320 (67.2% of the total cases) adult patients admitted into the internal medicine department were analysed. The median age was 22 years, range (15–90) and 189 (59.1%) cases were youth with a youth (15–24 years) to older adult (> 24 years) ratio of 1.4:1. The majority of the patients were male 199 (62.2) with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. The total number of malaria cases admitted into the internal medicine department increased from 103 cases in 2021 to 182 cases in 2022and admission peaked in November in both years. The total number of admitted malaria cases during the peak of the malaria season also increased from 92 patients between September 2021 and December 2021 to 132 patients from September 2022 to December 2022.There was also an increase in both severe and uncomplicated malaria during the same period. The total mortality was 31 (9.7%) and the rate was similar in 2021 9 (8.7%) and 2022 15 (8.4%). Patients with impaired consciousness were more likely to die when compared to those without impaired consciousness [19 (23.6%) vs 12 (5%), p ≤ 0.001]. Patients with acute kidney injury were also more likely to die when compared with those without acute kidney injury [10 (20.4%) vs 15 (7.7%), p = 0.009].ConclusionThe findings show an emerging and consistent trend of malaria admissions and the outcome in the youth and older adult population after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. This, therefore, suggests the need for the implementation of targeted malaria prevention interventions in this population to further prevent the spread of the disease to the more vulnerable population.