Epidemiology of malaria in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system, south-central C?te d’Ivoire

摘要

Background A deep understanding of the local epidemiology of malaria is essential for the design and implementation of setting-specific control and elimination efforts. In C?te d’Ivoire, new initiatives are underway to reduce the burden of malaria, which requires high-quality longitudinal data. The epidemiology of malaria was studied in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central C?te d’Ivoire and implications for control are discussed. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in the rainy season of June/July in 2010 and 2011. Inhabitants of approximately 7?% of randomly selected households in the Taabo HDSS were invited to participate. People were clinically examined, ear temperature was measured and spleen size determined. Finger-prick blood samples were collected and subjected to a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Additionally, thick and thin blood films were prepared on microscope slides and diagnosed under a microscope for Plasmodium infection and parasitaemia. Haemoglobin (Hb) level was determined using a HemoCue device. Results A total of 1187 and 1264 people in 2010 and 2011, respectively, had complete data records. The prevalence of Plasmodium infection was 46.0?% in 2010 and 56.6?% in 2011, owing to a statistically significant difference ( p Conclusion Malaria is highly endemic in the Taabo HDSS in south-central C?te d’Ivoire with considerable spatial heterogeneity of Plasmodium infection. There is a pressing need to scale-up control interventions against malaria.