A validation of the Malaria Atlas Project maps and development of a new map of malaria transmission in Sokoto, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study using geographic information systems

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Usman Nasir Nakakana, Ismaila Ahmed Mohammed, B. O. Onankpa, Ridwan M. Jega, Nma Muhammad Jiya
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2020
• Subjects: Malaria; Endemicity; Malaria Atlas Project; Mapping; Nigeria; Geographic information systems; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-020-03214-8; https://doaj.org/article/9476d313b0014a2ab10d7db780211bfa

Abstract Background Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children in Africa. There is inadequate information regarding malaria transmission-intensity in some of the worst-affected parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) was developed in 2006, to project estimates of malaria transmission intensity where this data is not available, based on the vector behaviour for malaria. Data from malariometric studies globally were obtained and modelled to provide prevalence estimates. The sensitivity of these maps, however, reduces with unavailability of data. This necessitates a validation of these maps locally, and investigation into alternative methods of predicting prevalence to guide malaria control interventions and improve their efficiency and effectiveness. This study was conducted to compare the true estimates in Sokoto, Nigeria, with the MAP projections for north-western Nigeria, and it proposes an alternative way of mapping malaria intensity in Nigeria and beyond. Methods A malariometric survey was conducted including children aged 2–10 years in communities in Wamakko Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State, Nigeria. Children had blood examinations for the presence of malaria parasitaemia and a physical examination for the signs of clinical malaria. All the sites from which children were included in the study were geo-located using a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) device and compared this to MAP maps of the same area. A mapping software was also used to generate a malaria prevalence map of the study area, considering the average flight distances of the vector. Results The prevalence among children 2 to 10 years was found to be 34.8% which was within the 30–40% projected prevalence for the study area by MAPs. However, it was much lower than the projection during the dry season (20.2%) and higher than the projected estimate during the rainy season (49.3%). There was monoparasitaemia of Plasmodium falciparum throughout the study area, although the ...