Frequency of human malaria infection in south-eastern areas of Balochistan: District Lasbella
Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of malarial parasites in human population of District Lasbella areas of Pakistan.
Methodology: Malarial parasites were identified in the blood slides of suspected patients of the disease from July 2006 to June 2008 and encompassed 3471 subjects. Both Passive Case Detection (PCS) and Active Case Detection (ACD) methods were used for detection of malaria cases.
Results: Out of 3471 suspected cases of malaria, 1311 (37.7%) were found to be positive for malarial parasite in blood smear slides. Out of positive cases, 451 (34.4%) were identified as Plasmodium vivax infection and 860 (65.5%) cases with P. falciparum. Infection with P. falciparum was observed to be more prevalent in Lasbella district. There was no case of Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale observed in the present study.
Conclusion: Human malaria infection is quite frequent in Lasbella, which is the hottest area of Balochistan in Pakistan. In clinically suspected cases of malaria, high slide positivity rate is observed. The prevalence rate of 65.5% (860/1311) of P. falciparum poses a significant health hazard because not only P. falciparum but infection with P. vivax 34.4% (451/1311) may also lead to serious complications like cerebral malaria. This high frequency of human malaria infection should be of great concern for authorities at malaria control program in Pakistan.
Methodology: Malarial parasites were identified in the blood slides of suspected patients of the disease from July 2006 to June 2008 and encompassed 3471 subjects. Both Passive Case Detection (PCS) and Active Case Detection (ACD) methods were used for detection of malaria cases.
Results: Out of 3471 suspected cases of malaria, 1311 (37.7%) were found to be positive for malarial parasite in blood smear slides. Out of positive cases, 451 (34.4%) were identified as Plasmodium vivax infection and 860 (65.5%) cases with P. falciparum. Infection with P. falciparum was observed to be more prevalent in Lasbella district. There was no case of Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale observed in the present study.
Conclusion: Human malaria infection is quite frequent in Lasbella, which is the hottest area of Balochistan in Pakistan. In clinically suspected cases of malaria, high slide positivity rate is observed. The prevalence rate of 65.5% (860/1311) of P. falciparum poses a significant health hazard because not only P. falciparum but infection with P. vivax 34.4% (451/1311) may also lead to serious complications like cerebral malaria. This high frequency of human malaria infection should be of great concern for authorities at malaria control program in Pakistan.
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