Analysis of the trend of malaria prevalence in Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia between 2013 and 2017

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria is one of the major public health problems worldwide. In Ethiopia, there is a significant decline in disease burden; however, the overall trend of malaria prevalence is not studied or well-documented in different localities. Hence, the initiation of this study was to analyse the 5-year trends of malaria prevalence in Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective laboratory record review was conducted in Ataye Hospital, North-Shoa, Ethiopia. Malaria data reported from 2013 to 2017 were carefully reviewed from January to March 2018.ResultsA total of 31,810 blood films were prepared and examined from malaria-suspected patients at Ataye District Hospital from 2013 to 2017. Of the examined blood films, 2670 (8.4%) were microscopically confirmed malaria cases. The trend of malaria prevalence in the present study seems non- fluctuating. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax accounted for 2087 (78.2%) and 557 (20.9%) cases, respectively. From total positive cases, 1.0% of cases were mixed P. falciparum/P. vivax infections, and that no Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale infections were found by malaria microscopists. Malaria cases were higher in males 1584 (5.0%) than females 1086 (3.4%). With regard to age groups, higher numbers of malaria cases were observed in age group 15–45 years old. Malaria cases were high in spring (September to December), which is a peak malaria transmission period in Ethiopia.ConclusionMalaria is still among the major public health problems in the country. P. falciparum is the dominant species in the study area followed by P. vivax. Enhancing malaria detection and speciation skill of laboratory personnel and scaling up malaria control and prevention activities are very crucial to significantly reduce the burden of malaria in the study area.

A 7-Year Trend of Malaria at Primary Health Facilities in Northwest Ethiopia

“…The study also showed that the prevalence of malaria was high among males and 15-29 years of age groups over the seven years trend. This was similar to the findings of studies conducted in Addi Arkay health center; Ataye district, North Shoa; and Abeshge, south-central Ethiopia [8,11,14]. This might be due to the fact that productive age groups often engaged in farm activities in the fields.…”

“…Seasonal fluctuations and high prevalence of malaria were observed in autumn (September to December) and the least prevalence in spring (March to May). This was in line with the findings of studies conducted in Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia (by Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health); Addi Arkay health center (Ethiopia); Abeshge (south-central Ethiopia); and Metema hospital, northwest Ethiopia [8,11,14]. Such high malaria prevalence in autumn (September to December) might be related to the formation of stagnant water after the heavy rain season, favorable temperature, and high vegetation density for mosquito breeding.…”

“…Moreover, P. falciparum was more dominant parasite than P. vivax which it exceeded by over threefold. The finding was comparable with the results of studies in Addi Arkay, northwest Ethiopia; Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia (by Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health); Abeshge, southcentral Ethiopia; Woreta town, northwest Ethiopia; and Metema hospital, northwest Ethiopia, which reported that P. falciparum was the dominant parasite over the study periods of each study [11][12][13][14][15]. The reason may be that the P. falciparum parasite can multiply rapidly by involving more than one parasite in a single red blood cell, colonizing all ages of the red blood cells without any selection, parasite-infected red blood cells (RBCs) can accumulate in various organs, and the availability of P. falciparum infected cases in communities [16,17].…”

“…This result was markedly lower than 36.1%, 48%, and 33.8% reported from the nearby localities of Addi Arkay health center, northwest Ethiopia; Woreta town, northwest Ethiopia; and Abeshge, south-central Ethiopia, respectively [8,11,12]. On the other hand, it was higher than the five-year trend study conducted in Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia; reported a total prevalence of 8.4%, the seven-year retrospective malaria report from Metema hospital, northwest Ethiopia; detected a prevalence of 17%, the fifteen-year study in Ethiopia; and noted a prevalence of 12.5% [13,14]. The differences might be due to time variations of the studies, difference in insecticide application in the areas, variations in geographical locations, differences in population awareness about malaria bed net application, its transmission, and health seeking behavior.…”

Assessment of malaria as a public health problem in and around Arjo Didhessa Sugar Cane Plantation area, Western Ethiopia

“…According to retrospective trend analysis of malaria cases done in Ataye District Hospital [11], a total of 31,810 blood films were examined from malaria suspected patients from January 2013 to December 2017. Of the examined blood films, 2,670 (8.4%) were microscopically confirmed malaria cases.…”