The epidemiology of malaria in the Papua New Guinea highlands: 7. Southern Highlands Province.

Abstract

As the last part of a program to survey the extent of malaria transmission in the Papua New Guinea highlands, a series of rapid malaria surveys were conducted in 2003-2004 and 2005 in different parts of Southern Highlands Province. Malaria was found to be highly endemic in Lake Kutubu (prevalence rate (PR): 17-33%), moderate to highly endemic in Erave (PR: 10-31%) and moderately endemic in low-lying parts (< 1500 m) of Poroma and Kagua (PR: 12-17%), but was rare or absent elsewhere. A reported malaria epidemic prior to the 2004 surveys could be confirmed for the Poroma (PR: 26%) but not for the lower Kagua area. In Kutubu/Erave Plasmodium falciparum was the most common cause of infection (42%), followed by P. vivax (39%) and P. malariae (16%). In other areas most infections were due to P. vivax (63%). Most infections were of low density (72% < 500/ microl) and not associated with febrile illness. Overall, malaria was only a significant source of febrile illness when prevalence rates rose above 10%, or in epidemics. However, concurrent parasitaemia led to a significant reduction in haemoglobin (Hb) level (1.2 g/dl, CI95: [1.1-1.4.], p < 0.001) and population mean Hb levels were strongly correlated with overall prevalence of malarial infections (r = -0.79, p < 0.001). Based on the survey results, areas of different malaria epidemiology are delineated and options for control in each area are discussed.

• Authors: Seri Maraga, Bianca Plüss, Sonja Schöpflin, Albert Sie, Jonah Iga, Moses Ousari, Simon Yala, Gaudentia Meier, John C Reeder, Ivo Mueller
• Journal: Papua and New Guinea medical journal (P N G Med J) 2011 Mar-Jun Vol. 54 Issue 1-2 Pg. 35-47 ISSN: 0031-1480 [Print] Papua New Guinea
• PMID: 23763037 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antimalarials

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Endemic Diseases
• Epidemics
• Female
• Geography, Medical
• Humans
• Malaria (drug therapy, epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Malaria, Falciparum (drug therapy, epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Malaria, Vivax (drug therapy, epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Male
• Mosquito Nets (statistics & numerical data)
• Papua New Guinea (epidemiology)
• Prevalence
• Young Adult