Non-falciparum malaria infections are as prevalent as P. falciparum among Tanzanian schoolchildren
Year: 2022
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Efforts to achieve malaria elimination need to consider both falciparum and non-falciparum infections. The prevalence and geographic distribution of four Plasmodium species were determined by real-time PCR using dried blood spots collected during the 2017 School Malaria Parasitological Survey of eight regions of Tanzania. Among 3,456 schoolchildren, 22% had P. falciparum , 24% P. ovale spp., 4% P. malariae , and 0.3% P. vivax . Ninety-one percent of P. ovale infections had very low parasite densities, based on amplification at later cycle thresholds. Sixty-four percent of P. ovale infections were single-species, and 35% of these were detected in low malaria endemicity regions. P. malariae infections were predominantly co-infections with P. falciparum (73%). P. vivax was largely detected in northern and eastern regions. Overall, 43% of children with P. falciparum were co-infected with at least one non-falciparum species. A large, previously under-appreciated burden of P. ovale spp. infection exists among Tanzanian schoolchildren. Article Summary A previously unrecognized burden of non-falciparum malaria infections was detected among Tanzanian schoolchildren in a 2017 cross-sectional study, with P. ovale spp. prevalence comparable to P. falciparum , and low-level prevalences of P. malariae and P. vivax detected.
Source: medRxiv
Authors: Rachel Sendor, Cedar L. Mitchell, Frank Chacky, Ally Mohamed, Lwidiko E. Mhamilawa, Fabrizio Molteni, Ssanyu Nyinondi, Bilali Kabula, Humphrey Mkali, Erik J. Reaves, Naomi Serbantez, Chonge Kitojo, Twilumba Makene, Thwai Kyaw, Meredith Muller, Alexis Mwanza, Erin L. Eckert, Jonathan B. Parr, Jessica T. Lin, Jonathan J. Juliano, Billy Ngasala
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Tracking the flow of malaria parasites and drug resistance within the DRC and across its borders, G3081012420, Plasmodium ovale hypnozoite development and relapse: a coordinated in vivo in vitro study, G6336628147, G7315253074, G7797466253, USAID "UMUHIMU WA TAKWIMU ZA MALARIA" ACTIVITY¿S THEORY OF CHANGE STIPULATES THAT THE GOAL OF REDUCING MALARIA BURDEN AND MOVING MAINLAND TANZANIA AND ZANZIBAR TOWARD MALARIA ELIMINATION WILL BE ACHIEVED IF: (1) MALARIA SURVEILLANCE IS IMPROVED (RESULT 1); (2) ENTOMOLOGICAL MONITORING IS IMPROVED (RESULT 2); (3) DRUG EFFICACY MONITORING IS IMPROVED (RESULT 3); AND (4) GOT¿S EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING IS IMPROVED (RESULT 4) TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE VISION, THE RECIPIENT¿S DESIGNED TECHNICAL APPROACH IS DIVIDED BY SIX GUIDING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES THAT WILL ENABLE A SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED USAID UMUHIMU WA TAKWIMU ZA MALARIA ACTIVITY SUSTAIN RESULTS THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC INTEGRATION, LOCAL OWNERSHIP, AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING, G8534068166, G9000142242, G9000247119, Training in Infectious Disease Epidemiology (TIDE)
OpenAlex ID: W4281760823