Work

Parasite Prevalence: A Static Measure of Dynamic Infections

Year: 2007

Type: article

Abstract: The intensity of malaria transmission is often measured by looking at the fraction of individuals infected at a given point in time. However, malaria infections in individuals are dynamic, leading to uncertainty about whether a cross-sectional survey that represents a single snapshot in time is a useful representation of a temporally complex process. In this analysis, we examine the impact of parasite density fluctuations on the measurement of parasite prevalence. Our results show that parasite prevalence may be underestimated by 20% or more, depending on the sensitivity of parasite detection.

Source: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2007.77.246

Authors: Wendy Prudhomme O’Meara, William E. Collins, F. Ellis McKenzie

Institutions: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center

Language: English

Topic: Malaria Research and Control

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institutes of Health