Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jul 2015)

Malaria Prevalence among Young Infants in Different Transmission Settings, Africa

  • Serign J. Ceesay,
  • Lamine Koivogui,
  • Alain Nahum,
  • Makie Abdoulie Taal,
  • Joseph Okebe,
  • Muna Affara,
  • Lama Eugène Kaman,
  • Francis Bohissou,
  • Carine Agbowai,
  • Benoit Gniouma Tolno,
  • Alfred Amambua-Ngwa,
  • NFaly Bangoura,
  • Daniel Ahounou,
  • Abdul Khalie Muhammad,
  • Stephan Duparc,
  • Kamal Hamed,
  • David Ubben,
  • Kalifa Bojang,
  • Jane Achan,
  • Umberto D’Alessandro

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2107.142036
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 7
pp. 1114 – 1121

Abstract

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The prevalence and consequences of malaria among infants are not well characterized and may be underestimated. A better understanding of the risk for malaria in early infancy is critical for drug development and informed decision making. In a cross-sectional survey in Guinea, The Gambia, and Benin, countries with different malaria transmission intensities, the overall prevalence of malaria among infants <6 months of age was 11.8% (Guinea, 21.7%; The Gambia, 3.7%; and Benin, 10.2%). Seroprevalence ranged from 5.7% in The Gambia to 41.6% in Guinea. Mean parasite densities in infants were significantly lower than those in children 1–9 years of age in The Gambia (p<0.0001) and Benin (p = 0.0021). Malaria in infants was significantly associated with fever or recent history of fever (p = 0.007) and anemia (p = 0.001). Targeted preventive interventions, adequate drug formulations, and treatment guidelines are needed to address the sizeable prevalence of malaria among young infants in malaria-endemic countries.

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