Prevalence of Plasmodium Falciparum Gametocytes among Malaria Positive Cases at Korogwe District Hospital: The Use of Molecular Techniques in Comparison with Light Microscopy.

BACKGROUND

Monitoring gametocytes in the population can inform about the human infective reservoir, which greatly aids malaria transmission, and provide relevant data for transmission models. Using molecular techniques in preference to light microscopy to detect gametocytes may lead to most reliable results. Effective determination of gametocytes is inevitable to achieve the transmission-blocking interventions as a prime target to end malaria. We aimed to determine the prevalence of P. falciparum gametocytes in malaria-positive cases from Korogwe district hospital.

METHODOLOGY

Archived DNA samples collected from Korogwe district hospital collected in a cross-sectional study were used to determine the prevalence of P. falciparum gametocytes using specific primers for cPCR targeting a Pfg27 gene. Demographic data, including blood slides data were retrieved from the database for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

With light microscopy, prevalence of P. falciparum gametocytes was 9.8%; sensitivity and specificity were 35.6% and 99.2% respectively. The cPCR gave a prevalence of 25.9%, with a sensitivity of 94.1% and specificity of 81.5%. The cPCR was diagnostically found to be significantly superior over light microscopy technique (X=45.780, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

cPCR is superior to light microscopy technique in detecting P. falciparum gametocytes when one considers a successive malaria transmission-blocking intervention.