Malaria Journal最新文献

{"title":"Perceived causes and solutions for malaria prevalence among seasonal migrant workers in Northwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study.","authors":"Tesfaye Tilaye, Belay Tessema, Kassahun Alemu, Walelegn W Yallew","doi":"10.1186/s12936-024-05231-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-024-05231-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Seasonal migrant workers are at increased risk of malaria and can play a substantial role in transmitting the disease to receptive areas. Assessments conducted among these workers showed a high prevalence of malaria. This qualitative study aimed to explore the contributing factors and challenges to the high malaria prevalence among seasonal migrant workers in agricultural farm areas. The study also sought to identify potential solutions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed to investigate the perceived causes, challenges, and solutions related to malaria prevalence among seasonal migrant workers in the development corridors of southwest Ethiopia. This approach emphasizes describing experiences as they are, without researcher interpretation. Data were gathered from 24 individuals purposefully selected for their close involvement with seasonal migrant workers and their experience with malaria issues in agricultural farm areas. Open-ended questions were used, and interviews were conducted in safe, quiet settings. Data management was performed using Open Code software version 4.03, and thematic analysis was applied to the contents.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study findings identified origin from highland areas, low health-seeking behaviour, working at night, and lack of use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) as the perceived causes of high malaria prevalence among seasonal migrant workers by the study participants. Limited collaboration among stakeholders, a lack of migrant-friendly malaria prevention strategies, and inconsistent support for medical supplies were challenges highlighted by the key informants. Therefore, seasonal migrant workers were faced with high risk of malaria due to factors such as lack of immunity, delayed treatment, exposure to mosquitoes, and limited prevention efforts. Addressing these challenges is crucial for reducing malaria prevalence among this vulnerable population.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study findings highlighted the need for targeted interventions to address the specific factors contributing to high malaria prevalence among seasonal migrant workers and to overcome the challenges in implementing effective malaria prevention strategies in this vulnerable population. Further study should be conducted to include the views and positions of seasonal migrant workers, owners of the farm areas, host communities, and political leaders.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"47"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834219/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143441284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cytomegalovirus reactivation and acute and chronic complications in children with cerebral malaria: a prospective cohort study.","authors":"Jonathan A Mayhew, Andrew J Witten, Caitlin A Bond, Robert O Opoka, Paul Bangirana, Andrea L Conroy, Nelmary Hernandez-Alvarado, Mark R Schleiss, Chandy C John","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05293-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05293-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Virus co-infection or reactivation may modify the host response during cerebral malaria. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in adults with sepsis; however, the impact of CMV DNAemia on adverse outcomes in children with cerebral malaria is unknown.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical, physiological, and neurocognitive outcomes were compared in children aged 18 months to 12 years with cerebral malaria (N = 242) based on the presence or absence of CMV DNAemia 24 h after admission. The primary study outcome was subsequent in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included the presence of acute kidney injury, neurocognitive impairment over a 2-year follow-up, and chronic kidney disease at the 1-year follow-up. Markers of platelet and endothelial cell activation and oxidative and nitrosative stress were measured to characterize the mechanisms by which CMV DNAemia might contribute to pathogenesis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CMV DNAemia was present in 33 children with cerebral malaria (13.6%) 24 h after admission. CMV DNAemia was not significantly associated with mortality in this study. Children with CMV-DNAemia had a higher prevalence of acute kidney injury than those without CMV-DNAemia (59.4% vs. 38.6%, p = 0.03). There was no difference in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease or long-term neurocognitive impairment based on the presence of DNAemia. CMV DNAemia was associated with elevated plasma levels of P-selectin, angiopoietin-1, asymmetric dimethylarginine, and platelet counts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In children with cerebral malaria, CMV DNAemia is associated with acute kidney injury but not in-hospital mortality, chronic kidney disease, or long-term neurocognitive impairment.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"48"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834542/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143441251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal epidemiology of indigenous and imported malaria cases in Goa, western India.","authors":"Ajeet Kumar Mohanty, Aparna Naik, Abhishek Govekar, Debattam Mazumdar, Pooja T Prakash, Sushant Sawant, Kalpana Mahatme, Praveen Kumar Bharti, Karuppusamy Balasubramani, Praveen Balabaskaran Nina","doi":"10.1186/s12936-024-05232-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-024-05232-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The state of Goa in western India is world-renowned for its coastline and attracts millions of tourists across the world. Historically, Goa was among the malaria-endemic states in India, with Plasmodium vivax contributing to the majority of the cases. Past malaria outbreaks in Goa have been linked to construction activities, and imported malaria cases threaten malaria elimination efforts in the state.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The malaria data from the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC) and the Directorate of Health Services, Goa was used to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and mixed infection in Goa from 2000-2023. The spatiotemporal distribution of indigenous and imported malaria cases from 2014-2023 in the different primary/urban/community health centres (PHC/UHC/CHCs) of Goa was analysed using GIS. The spatiotemporal changes of the last three decades in Goa's land use/land cover (LU/LC) were assessed using Landsat satellite images, and its effect on malaria distribution was analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over the study period (2000-2023), P. vivax contributed to 78.2% of the caseload. The malaria trend fluctuated from 2000 to 2008, with a steep decline observed from 2009 onwards, and in 2023, zero indigenous cases were reported. The six health centres of Candolim, Margao, Siolim, Vasco, Mapusa, and Panaji reported 57.8% of the total indigenous and imported malaria cases in Goa during 2014-2023. With 292 cases in 2023, the Porvorim UHC has emerged as a new hotspot of imported malaria cases. The LU/LC change analysis shows a four-fold increase of built-up area, from ~ 70 sq. km in 1991 to 260 sq. km in 2024, with strong spatial overlap between new built-up areas and malaria cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Due to the concerted parasite and vector control strategies of the state health department, Goa has achieved the target of zero indigenous malaria cases in 2023. Despite achieving this milestone, the threat of imported malaria cases leading to local outbreaks remains a serious concern.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"46"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11829438/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143425823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling the mode of action of the Tres Cantos Antimalarial Set (TCAMS): investigating the mechanism of potent antimalarial compounds potentially targeting the human serotonin receptor.","authors":"Benedito Matheus Dos Santos, Lenna Rosanie Cordero Mallaupoma, Mateus Fila Pecenin, Abhinab Mohanty, Angela Lu, Paula J Bartlett, Andrew P Thomas, Francisco-Javier Gamo, Celia R S Garcia","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05271-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05271-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite the strides made in recent decades, the resistance observed in existing antimalarial drugs, and the intricate life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite underscore the pressing need to develop novel and effective therapeutic interventions. This article provides a comprehensive evaluation of the outcomes stemming from screening a library comprising 48 compounds (TCAMS) against Plasmodium falciparum.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study focused on characterizing the IC₅₀ values of compounds from the Tres Cantos Antimalarial Set (TCAMS) library via a double-labelling method of P. falciparum parasites with SYBR Green-I and MitoTracker Deep Red, which were evaluated via flow cytometry. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of the best candidates in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, chemoinformatic analysis, and exploration of the effects of the compounds on the action of serotonin and melatonin in the erythrocytic life cycle of the parasite.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>IC₅₀ characterization confirmed that 93.75% of the compounds tested exhibited antimalarial activity at concentrations below 2 micromolar (µM), with 5 compounds showing IC₅₀ values below 50 nM (nM) (15.21 ± 5.97 nM to 45.82 ± 5.11 nM). Furthermore, 12 compounds presented IC₅₀ values between 50 and 100 nM (57.43 ± 12.25 nM to 100.6 ± 22.89 nM), highlighting their potent in vitro efficacy against P. falciparum. Cytotoxicity evaluation in HEK293 cells revealed that 12 from 17 compounds did not significantly reduce cell viability. Cheminformatics analysis clustered the compounds based on structural and physicochemical similarities, revealing distinct structural patterns. Exploration of hypothetical targets from the TCAMS library identified 27 compounds with potential targets, 15 specifically targeted serotonergic receptors. Subsequent serotonin and melatonin treatment experiments indicated that certain compounds could inhibit both effects on parasitaemia, suggesting a complex interaction with signaling in P. falciparum.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study identifies promising antimalarial candidates with low IC₅₀ values and highlights the significance of targeting serotonin receptors in the development of potential antimalarial drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"45"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11827156/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143425824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determination of the residual efficacy of broflanilide (VECTRON™ T500) insecticide for indoor residual spraying in a semi-field setting in Ethiopia.","authors":"Eba Alemayehu Simma, Habtamu Zegeye, Geremew Muleta Akessa, Yehenew G Kifle, Endalew Zemene, Teshome Degefa, Delenasaw Yewhalaw","doi":"10.1186/s12936-024-05239-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-024-05239-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The rotational use of insecticides with diverse modes of action in indoor residual spraying (IRS) is pivotal for enhancing malaria vector control and addressing insecticide resistance. A key factor in national malaria vector control/elimination programmes is the rate at which these insecticides decay. VECTRON™ T500, with broflanilide as its active ingredient, is a recently developed candidate insecticide formulation which has shown promising results in certain phase II experimental hut trials. However, its residual efficacy across different settings has not been thoroughly investigated. This study evaluated the efficacy of VECTRON™ T500 on various wall surfaces (mud, dung, paint, and cement) and assessed its decay rates over time in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Insectary-reared Anopheles arabiensis Sekoru strain mosquitoes were used to evaluate the residual efficacy of VECTRON™ T500. Female mosquitoes, aged three to five days were used for the bioassays. Seven 'tukul' type test huts, each hut with a distinct wall type (mud, dung, painted, and cemented) were used for the study. Three huts received VECTRON™ T500; three huts were sprayed with Actellic 300CS, and one hut served as a negative control (sprayed with water only).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>VECTRON™ T500 induced over 80% mortality across all wall surface types throughout the entire nine-month study period. In contrast, Actellic^® 300CS achieved over 80% mortality for six months, except on dung wall surfaces, after which its efficacy declined sharply below 80%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, the mortality rates achieved with VECTRON™ T500 extended up to nine months across all treated wall surface types, outperforming Actellic^® 300CS. This could make VECTRON™ T500 a promising candidate insecticide formulation for use in IRS in malaria-endemic countries such as Ethiopia.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"44"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11823107/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143414664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of malaria and associated factors among febrile cases attending in Soyama Health Centre, Burji Special Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: a retrospective and an institution-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Sintayhu Tsegaye Tseha, Dawit Keshere, Temam Aberar","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05252-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05252-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Burji special Woreda is one of the malaria endemic areas in Southern Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and associated factors among febrile cases in Burji special Woreda.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Institutional based cross-sectional study conducted from November 2022 to January 2023. The trend of malaria prevalence was determined based on five years malaria retrospective data (2018-2022). Blood samples were collected from 317 suspected febrile cases to determine the prevalence of malaria in the study area. Thin and thick blood smears were prepared, stained with 10% Giemsa and examined under light microscope. The data on socio-demographic and other determinant factors were collected by interviewers administered pre-tested questionnaire for suspected febrile cases. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done using SPSS software version 20.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among febrile cases, 22.4% (71/317) were positive for malaria. Being male (P-value = 0.026), living in grass thatched house (P-value = 0.044), availability of mosquito breeding site around residents (p-value = 0.044) and not providing IRS regularly (p-value = 0.008) were significantly associated with Plasmodium infection. Based on five years retrospective data (2018-2022), the prevalence of malaria was 27.2% in the study area. The prevalence of malaria showed fluctuating trend between 2018 and 2022 in the study area. Malaria is still prevalent in Burji special Woreda and remains the major public health problems in study area. Interventions against malaria have to be strengthened in order to reduce the burden of malaria in Burji Special Woreda. Furthermore, continuous research on the magnitude of malaria and its associated factors is needed to eliminate the disease from the study area.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"43"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11823015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143408165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Half-decade of scaling up malaria control: malaria trends and impact of interventions from 2018 to 2023 in Rwanda.","authors":"Arlette Umugwaneza, Mathijs Mutsaers, Jean Claude Semuto Ngabonziza, Johanna Helena Kattenberg, Aline Uwimana, Ayman Ahmed, Eric Remera, Theogene Kubahoniyesu, Christian Nsanzabaganwa, Hassan Mugabo, Gilbert Rukundo, Michee Kabera, Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, Emmanuel Hakizimana, Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Anna Rosanas-Urgell","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05278-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05278-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rwanda has made significant strides in malaria control. This study reviews malaria epidemiology and control strategies in Rwanda from 2018 to 2023, documenting their impact, persistent gaps and emerging challenges.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data on Rwanda's malaria context from 2018 to 2023 were obtained through a literature review of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, including annual reports from the malaria programmes, partners, the African Union, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Specific keywords used for the search included \"malaria\", \"Rwanda\", \"case management\", \"control\", \"treatment\", and \"prevention\". Moreover, epidemiological data for this period was extracted from the Health Management Information System (HMIS). Data analysis was done using R & R-Studio, ANOVA to assess the statistical significance (P < 0.05) of observed trends and T-test to compare the focal and blanket IRS techniques.</p><p><strong>Results/discussion: </strong>Between 2018 and 2023, all malaria indicators showed improvement. Malaria incidence dropped from 345 to 40 cases per 1000 persons (P = 0.00292), the severe malaria rate decreased from 112 to 10/100,000 persons (P = 0.018), and the mortality rate fell from 2.72 to 0.258 deaths /100,000 persons (P = 0.00617). Among children under 5 years of age, incidence decreased significantly from 331 to 52/1,000 persons (P = 0.00123), the severe malaria rate dropped from 214 to 29/100,000 persons (P = 0.00399), and mortality declined from 5 to 0.453/100,000 persons (P = 0.00504). Over the same period, key malaria interventions expanded. The proportion of cases treated by CHWs increased significantly, improving access to early diagnosis and treatment (from 13 to 59%), and the new generations of ITNs (PBO and dual-active ingredient nets) were deployed in 9 districts. Since 2019, a blanket spraying technique has been adopted in 12 IRS districts replacing the focal spraying technique contributing to the significant decrease of malaria incidence from 2019 to 2023 (P = 0.0025). However, new challenges have emerged, including the rise of the K13 R561H mutation associated with artemisinin resistance, the spread of insecticide resistance, and limited intervention coverage due to resource constraints.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>To sustain the progress achieved, it is essential to intensify malaria control efforts, foster compliance with intervention strategies, enhance surveillance systems for timely and effective responses, and secure long-term funding to sustain these measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11817622/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143399512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection and associated risk factors in Mizan-Aman town, Ethiopia: community-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Kassahun Demelash, Abdissa Biruksew, Gelila Gashawbeza, Delenasaw Yewhalaw, Ahmed Zeynudin","doi":"10.1186/s12936-024-05210-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-024-05210-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Asymptomatic malaria parasitemia patients constitute an effective transmission pool for malaria infection in the community. However, less attention has been given to malaria control and elimination strategies. Therefore, to achieve a malaria elimination strategy, investigating the magnitude of asymptomatic malaria in different settings in Ethiopia is crucial. However, there is not enough information on the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection and associated risk factors in the Bench Sheko Zone, southwest Ethiopia. This study, therefore, aimed to provide information and help achieve sustainable malaria elimination.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2019 in Mizan-Aman town, southwest Ethiopia. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information. Plasmodium species were screened using microscopy and rapid diagnostic test (RDT). HemoCue was used to measure haemoglobin levels. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used for descriptive and logistic regression statistics to risk factors. A P-value of 0.05 was used as a cutoff-value for significance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 353 malaria-like symptom free participants were enrolled in this study. 17 seventeen (4.8%, 95% Confidence interval = 2.57, 7.03) asymptomatic malaria cases were revealed; among these, 12 (70.58%) (95% CI = 65.75, 75.25) were due to Plasmodium vivax and 5 (29.41%) (95% CI = 24.74, 34.25) were due to Plasmodium falciparum. Asymptomatic malaria was significantly associated with the presence of mosquito breeding sites [Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 6.06 (1.76-20.82)], insecticide-treated nets (ITN) use [AOR = 3.51 (0.97-12.68)], and indoor residual spraying (IRS) [AOR = 3.95 (1.26-12.37)]. Mild anaemia was found in 20% (3/15) of the asymptomatic malaria patients. Additionally, there was a significant association between malaria and anaemia [OR = 5.786 (1.46-22.85)] in this study.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The population of the current study area will be at risk because asymptomatic malaria is present. Low coverage of the IRS, ITN, and proximity of stagnant water in residences had an impact on asymptomatic malaria. Further studies are needed on the burden of asymptomatic malaria via molecular methods, and the Bench Sheko regional health office is better able to scale-up malaria prevention and control tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"41"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11823150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143409117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Where is the hard-to-reach population? Spatial analysis from a cross-sectional study on the access to bed net and malaria vaccine in the Lake Victoria Region, Kenya.","authors":"Yura K Ko, Wataru Kagaya, Daisuke Yoneoka, James Kongere, Victor Opiyo, Jared Oginga, Protus Omondi, Kelvin B Musyoka, Chim W Chan, Bernard N Kanoi, Jesse Gitaka, Akira Kaneko","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05280-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05280-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) and vaccines are effective malaria control tools. However, inadequate uptake has been reported in countries where both interventions are available. To maximize the impact these tools provide, it is crucial to identify populations that are not being reached and the barriers to uptake.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a cross-sectional study conducted in April 2024 in Kanyamwa Kologi Ward in Homa Bay County, Kenya, 4,662 households in 58 randomely selected villages were visited and interviewed. The proportions of households that (1) received at least one new LLIN within the previous five months (net distribution), (2) reported all children used LLIN (net usage), (3) reported at least one child had received one dose of the RTS,S vaccine (vaccine uptake), and (4) reported all children had received four doses of the vaccine (vaccine completion) were examined. Bayesian spatial autoregression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and its credible intervals (CrI) to identify the association between the household-level characteristics and the four outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall uptake proportions were 89.9% for net distribution, 84.4% for net usage, 88.2% for vaccine uptake, and 53.7% for vaccine completion. All four outcomes showed geographical heterogeneity with significant (p < 0.05) Moran's I. Households headed by adults of > 40 years had higher odds of having received a new LLIN (aOR = 2.02, 95% CrI 1.02-5.42), having one child who had received one vaccine dose (aOR = 1.83, 0.69-4.66), and having all children fully vaccinated (aOR = 2.36, 1.09-5.46), but lower odds of net usage by all children (aOR = 0.62, 0.40-0.96). Households with five or more children had higher odds of having received a new LLIN (aOR = 5.36, 2.24-27.0) but lower odds of net usage by all children (aOR = 0.24, 0.14-0.38) and having all children fully vaccinated (aOR = 0.20, 0.04-0.61). Distance to the nearest health centre was negatively associated with all outcomes. Household wealth was positively associated with all outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Uptake of LLIN and malaria vaccine in Homa Bay County, Kenya varied by geography and household characteristics. These findings suggest that different sets of actions should be considered to improve the coverage and compliance of these interventions in different areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"42"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11823133/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143408254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of CareStart™ malaria HRP2/pLDH (Pf/PAN) combo rapid diagnostic test for diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum infection in malaria co-endemic areas in association with parasite density.","authors":"Michael Christian, Lenny Lia Ekawati, Aa Raka Pratama, Syavira Cahyaningati, Hermina K Bere, Muhammad Rustam, Ichsan Kalbuadi, Jeltsin Andini, Jeng Yuliana, Ihsan Fadilah, Benedikt Ley, Kamala Thriemer, Ric N Price, Inge Sutanto, J Kevin Baird","doi":"10.1186/s12936-025-05276-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12936-025-05276-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As a widely accepted field standard diagnostic tool for malaria, microscopic examination is often difficult to perform in resource-poor settings. The immunochromatographic HRP2/pLDH (Pf/Pan) Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) serve as alternatives to microscopic examination for falciparum and non-falciparum malaria in co-endemic areas by detecting the histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) and pan-plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) antigen. However, Pf/Pan RDTs do not directly quantify parasitaemia. In this study, the diagnostic performance of Pf/Pan RDT and its association with parasite density was examined.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Blood smears from patients who were screened for PRIMA Clinical Trial (Trial Registration Number: NCT03916003) conducted in East Sumba, Indonesia, and enrolled to its sub-study, ACROSS, were examined for microscopic examination and RDT using CareStart^™ Malaria HRP2/pLDH (Pf/PAN) Combo (CareStart^™ Pf/Pan RDT). Results were analysed for both diagnostic performance of RDT and its relationship with parasite density using a logistic regression model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>317 participants were included in this study and 158 (49.8%) were malaria positive by microscopy. Among all malaria-positive participants, Plasmodium falciparum infections accounted for 149 (94.3%) cases. The sensitivity and specificity of HRP2 band were 97.3% (95% CI 93.3-99.2) and 97.6% (95% CI 94.0-99.4), respectively, while that of pLDH band were 87.3% (95% CI 81.1-92.0) and 100% (95% CI 97.7-100). For each ten-fold increase in parasite density, the RDT had 12 times the odds of returning Pf/Pan-positive results (n = 126) compared to Pf-positive (n = 19) (OR: 12.1; 95% CI 5.18 to 34.8; p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>CareStart^™ Pf/Pan RDT is reliable in diagnosing falciparum malaria and Pf/Pan-positive results indicate higher parasite density. Pf/Pan-positive results should alert the clinical staff of the increased risk of poor clinical outcome, and should be prioritized for microscopic examination compared to Pf-positive results.</p>","PeriodicalId":18317,"journal":{"name":"Malaria Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"39"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11812152/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143390865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}