Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania
Abstract Background Malaria prevalence continues to decline across sub-Saharan Africa as a result of various intervention strategies. However, the diseases still poses a public health concern in the region. While symptomatic malaria is recognized and treated, asymptomatic infections become increasin...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4c2197274265410ba7ede3184717d516 2023-05-15T15:15:24+02:00 Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania Deborah Sumari Felista Mwingira Majige Selemani Joseph Mugasa Kefas Mugittu Paul Gwakisa 2017-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 https://doaj.org/article/4c2197274265410ba7ede3184717d516 EN eng BMC http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/4c2197274265410ba7ede3184717d516 Malaria Journal, Vol 16, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2017) Symptomatic malaria Asymptomatic malaria Plasmodium falciparum Tanzania Quantitative PCR Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 2022-12-30T22:56:05Z Abstract Background Malaria prevalence continues to decline across sub-Saharan Africa as a result of various intervention strategies. However, the diseases still poses a public health concern in the region. While symptomatic malaria is recognized and treated, asymptomatic infections become increasingly important for interrupting transmission. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess malaria prevalence in symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Kiwangwa ward in Bagamoyo District in Tanzania. Methods Four hundred school-aged children in Kiwanga ward were recruited in the study; 200 from Kiwangwa dispensary and 200 from nearby schools. Primary health parameters were examined and blood samples collected and examined for Plasmodium falciparum prevalence using rapid diagnostic test (RDT), light microscopy (LM) and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting transcripts of A-type 18s rRNA of P. falciparum. Gametocytes were detected by LM and RT-qPCR targeting transcripts of gametocyte specific marker, Pfs25. Results Overall P. falciparum prevalence was 73.3, 40.8 and 36.3% by RT-qPCR, RDT and LM in the study area, respectively (P < 0.001). As expected symptomatic children had a significantly higher prevalence of 89, 67.5 and 64.5% by qPCR, RDT and LM, compared to 57.5, 14 and 8% in the asymptomatic group, respectively. However, gametocyte prevalence in asymptomatic individuals was higher by both LM (2%) and qPCR (14%) than in symptomatic individuals LM (0.5%) and qPCR (3%). Conclusions A substantial difference in prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections observed in Kiwangwa ward underpins the use of molecular tools in malaria surveillance aiming at estimating prevalence and transmission. Notably, the higher gametocytaemia observed in asymptomatic children indicates the reservoir infections and points to the need for detection and treatment of both asymptomatic and symptomatic malaria. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 16 1 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
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English |
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Symptomatic malaria Asymptomatic malaria Plasmodium falciparum Tanzania Quantitative PCR Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
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Symptomatic malaria Asymptomatic malaria Plasmodium falciparum Tanzania Quantitative PCR Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Deborah Sumari Felista Mwingira Majige Selemani Joseph Mugasa Kefas Mugittu Paul Gwakisa Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
topic_facet |
Symptomatic malaria Asymptomatic malaria Plasmodium falciparum Tanzania Quantitative PCR Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background Malaria prevalence continues to decline across sub-Saharan Africa as a result of various intervention strategies. However, the diseases still poses a public health concern in the region. While symptomatic malaria is recognized and treated, asymptomatic infections become increasingly important for interrupting transmission. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess malaria prevalence in symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Kiwangwa ward in Bagamoyo District in Tanzania. Methods Four hundred school-aged children in Kiwanga ward were recruited in the study; 200 from Kiwangwa dispensary and 200 from nearby schools. Primary health parameters were examined and blood samples collected and examined for Plasmodium falciparum prevalence using rapid diagnostic test (RDT), light microscopy (LM) and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting transcripts of A-type 18s rRNA of P. falciparum. Gametocytes were detected by LM and RT-qPCR targeting transcripts of gametocyte specific marker, Pfs25. Results Overall P. falciparum prevalence was 73.3, 40.8 and 36.3% by RT-qPCR, RDT and LM in the study area, respectively (P < 0.001). As expected symptomatic children had a significantly higher prevalence of 89, 67.5 and 64.5% by qPCR, RDT and LM, compared to 57.5, 14 and 8% in the asymptomatic group, respectively. However, gametocyte prevalence in asymptomatic individuals was higher by both LM (2%) and qPCR (14%) than in symptomatic individuals LM (0.5%) and qPCR (3%). Conclusions A substantial difference in prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections observed in Kiwangwa ward underpins the use of molecular tools in malaria surveillance aiming at estimating prevalence and transmission. Notably, the higher gametocytaemia observed in asymptomatic children indicates the reservoir infections and points to the need for detection and treatment of both asymptomatic and symptomatic malaria. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Deborah Sumari Felista Mwingira Majige Selemani Joseph Mugasa Kefas Mugittu Paul Gwakisa |
author_facet |
Deborah Sumari Felista Mwingira Majige Selemani Joseph Mugasa Kefas Mugittu Paul Gwakisa |
author_sort |
Deborah Sumari |
title |
Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
title_short |
Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
title_full |
Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
title_fullStr |
Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
title_full_unstemmed |
Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania |
title_sort |
malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in kiwangwa, bagamoyo district, tanzania |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 https://doaj.org/article/4c2197274265410ba7ede3184717d516 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 16, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/4c2197274265410ba7ede3184717d516 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-1870-4 |
container_title |
Malaria Journal |
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16 |
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1 |
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1766345766431883264 |