Epidemic and Non-Epidemic Hot Spots of Malaria Transmission Occur in Indigenous Comarcas of Panama.

ABSTRACT: From 2002-2005, Panama experienced a malaria epidemic that has been associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation weather patterns, decreased funding for malaria control, and landscape modification. Case numbers quickly decreased afterward, and Panama is now in the pre-elimination stage of malaria eradication. To achieve this new goal, the characterization of epidemiological risk factors, foci of transmission, and important anopheline vectors is needed. Of the 24,681 reported cases in these analyses (2000-2014), ~62% occurred in epidemic years and ~44% in indigenous comarcas (5.9% of Panama's population). Sub-analyses comparing overall numbers of cases in epidemic and non-epidemic years identified females, comarcas and some 5-year age categories as those disproportionately affected by malar

SUBMITTER: Lainhart W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4868294 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature