Prevalence of human malaria infection in bordering areas of East Balochistan, adjoining with Punjab: Loralai and Musakhel.

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence of malarial infections in human population of districts Loralai and Musakhel areas of Pakistan.

METHODS

Malarial parasites were identified in the blood slides of suspected patients of the disease from July, 2004 to June, 2006, and encompassed 7899 subjects.

RESULTS

Out of 7899 suspected cases of malaria, 2275 (28.8%) were found to be positive for malarial parasite in blood smear slides. Out of positive cases, 1633 (71.7%) were identified as Plasmodium falciparum infection, 642 (28.2%) cases with P. vivax. However, seasonal variation was also noted with the highest (83.9%:287/342) infection of P. falciparum in September and lowest (65.3%: 34/52) in January in Loralai area whereas highest (76.9%:30/39) in October and lowest (3/9) in February in Musa Khel area. There was no case of Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale infection observed in the present study. These results are compared with those of other studies done in Pakistan.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence rate (71.7%:1633/2275) of P. falciparum poses a significant health hazard but 28.2% of P. vivax (642/2275) also may lead to serious complications like cerebral malaria. No association was found between types of infection and age groups.