Micro-heterogeneity of transmission shapes the submicroscopic malaria reservoir in coastal Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Asymptomatic malaria may be patent (visible by microscopy) and detectable by rapid malaria diagnostic tests (RDTs), or it may be submicroscopic and only detectable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Methods

To characterize the submicroscopic reservoir in an area of declining malaria transmission, asymptomatic persons >5 years of age in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania, were screened using RDT, microscopy, and PCR. We investigated the size of the submicroscopic reservoir across villages, determined factors associated with submicroscopic parasitemia, and assessed the natural history of submicroscopic malaria over four weeks.

Results

Among 6,076 participants, Plasmodium falciparum prevalence by RDT, microscopy, and PCR was 9%, 9%, and 28%, respectively, wit

SUBMITTER: Rapp T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10508794 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature