Prevalence and Risk Factors of Malaria among HIV Infected Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics at Sokoto, Nigeria

Introduction: Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem especially in cases when there is a co-infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and their associated risk factors amongst HIV infected pregnant women in Sokoto State, North-Western Nigeria. Materials and methods: After informed consent was obtained, one hundred and three (103), HIV infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANC) participated in the study. A socio-demographic profile and risk factors of malaria was assessed from all participants. Peripheral blood samples were collected and thick blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa stains to check for malaria parasitaemia. Results: Fifty eight (56.3%) out of 103 pregnant women were infected with malaria parasites, with a mean parasite density of 700 parasites μl−1. There was no significant association between malaria parasitaemia and all sociodemographic variables and risk factors in participants (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Malaria is still a major public health issue among HIV pregnant women mainly due to history of fever, illiteracy and non-compliance to using ITNs. Increasing awareness about malaria preventive measures and early focused antenatal care services will help to reduce malaria in HIV infected pregnant women and consequently, its associated morbidities and mortalities.