Urban malaria and associated risk factors in Jimma town, south-west Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria kills millions around the world. Until recently it was believed to be a disease of rural areas, since the Anopheles mosquito, which transmits Plasmodium species breeds in rural areas. Urban malaria is emerging as a potential, but "avertable" crisis, in Africa. In view of the rapidly growing number of small and medium-sized towns in Ethiopia there is a pressing need to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of malaria. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine malaria prevalence and associated risk factors in Jimma town.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in Jimma town from April 1 to May 28, 2010. 804 study participants were included from 291 households for microscopic examination of malaria parasites. Socio-demography data and risk factors were collected using structured questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS 15.0 statistical software.ResultsFrom a total of 804 study participants in current survey only 42 (5.2%) were positive for malaria parasites. Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum and mixed infection accounted 71.4%, 26.2% and 2.4%, respectively. Higher malaria prevalence rate was observed among under-five children (11%). Those who do not use insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN) were more likely to be infected with malaria (OR = 13.6; 95% CI 4.9-37.2, p < 0.001) compared with those who use the ITN. Living in areas where stagnant water existed (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.00-4.2, p = 0.047) and its distance of existence <1 km from the house(OR = 2.1; 95% CI 2.0-15.8, p = 0.001) were more likely to be infected with malaria parasite compared with those who live away from stagnant at a distance greater than 1 km.ConclusionMalaria is a major health problem with P. vivax becoming a predominant species in the town. The prevalence was strongly associated with proximity of residence to potential mosquito breeding sites. Malaria is affecting significant proportions of the urban settlers and human activities nevertheless play an important role in bringing the mosquito breeding sites closer to residences.

Incidence of malaria is clustered and buffers around plantations: a spatial analysis

“…(17) The use of insecticide-treated nets proved to be able to protect humans from the bite of mosquitoes / malaria vectors. (18,19) Not using wire netting will increase the risk of suffering from malaria 10.55 times and these results are consistent with the research of Kuswanto, (20) who conducted research on malaria risk factors in Banyumas in 2005. Those not using insect repellent are at 6.46-fold increased risk to suffer from malaria.…”

Higher Complexity of Infection and Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Than Plasmodium falciparum Across All Malaria Transmission Zones of Papua New Guinea

“…This holds true in other P. vivax and P. falciparum co-endemic countries such as Ethiopia and Solomon Islands where the relative proportion of P. vivax cases has drastically increased. [90][91][92][93] The data also indicate a change in the proportion of Pfmsp2 alleles over time. The current study demonstrated that 80% of P. falciparum isolates had 3D7-type alleles.…”

Tetrapyrrole Synthesis of Photosynthetic Chromerids Is Likely Homologous to the Unusual Pathway of Apicomplexan Parasites

“…Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria kills millions of people every year (Alemu et al, 2011). Most of the Apicomplexa have been shown to contain a secondary four membrane-bound nonphotosynthetic plastid (apicoplast) that is essential for the parasite survival (reviewed in Oborník et al, 2009 or Kalanon andMcFadden, 2010).…”