Malaria prevalence in north–eastern Nigeria: A cross–sectional study

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of malaria parasitemia in north–east Nigeria and to evaluate the measures for the prevention of malaria.MethodsA village in north–eastern Nigeria was selected for the cross sectional study at the height of the rainy season in October 2011. A total of 550 inhabitants of a hamlet were recruited for this study. After obtaining the consent individuals received a structured interview and were tested for malaria parasites in their blood films. Recruits testing positive for malaria were given a course of artemesinin–based combination therapy (ACT).ResultsA total of 497 inhabitants representing approximately 90 percent of the population participated: a quarter of the study group carried malaria parasitesexclusively Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum)–representing a P. falciparum parasite rate (PfPR) of 24.5%. Besides, 53/138 in the age group of 2 to < 10 years old children tested positive for P. falciparum representing a PfPR2–10 value of 38.4%. Malaria control measures were used in just under a third (157/497) of this cohort. Despite these measures 28/157 (17.8%) still tested positive for P. falciparum.ConclusionsThe malaria burden is overestimated for this region in north–east Nigeria. The findings support an intermediate pattern of malaria endemicity. The 30% bed nets coverage for malaria control is well below the WHO estimates for 2011.