Characteristic age distribution of Plasmodium vivax infections after malaria elimination on Aneityum Island, Vanuatu.

ABSTRACT: Resurgence is a major concern after malaria elimination. After the initiation of the elimination program on Aneityum Island in 1991, microscopy showed that Plasmodium falciparum disappeared immediately, whereas P. vivax disappeared from 1996 onward, until P. vivax cases were reported in January 2002. By conducting malariometric surveys of the entire population of Aneityum, we investigated the age distribution of individuals with parasites during this epidemic in the context of antimalarial antibody levels and parasite antigen diversity. In July 2002, P. vivax infections were detected by microscopy in 22/759 individuals: 20/298 born after the beginning of the elimination program in 1991, 2/126 born between 1982 and 1991, and none of 335 born before 1982. PCR increased the number of infectio

SUBMITTER: Kaneko A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3911855 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature