Seasonal variations in Plasmodium falciparum parasite prevalence assessed by varying diagnostic tests in asymptomatic children in southern Ghana.

ABSTRACT: Plasmodium falciparum infections presenting either as symptomatic or asymptomatic may contain sexual stage parasites (gametocytes) that are crucial to malaria transmission. In this study, the prevalence of microscopic and submicroscopic asexual and gametocyte parasite stages were assessed in asymptomatic children from two communities in southern Ghana. Eighty children aged twelve years and below, none of whom exhibited signs of clinical malaria living in Obom and Cape Coast were sampled twice, one during the rainy (July 2015) and subsequently during the dry (January 2016) season. Venous blood was used to prepare thick and thin blood smears, spot a rapid malaria diagnostic test (PfHRP2 RDT) as well as prepare filter paper blood spots. Blood cell pellets were preserved in Trizol for RNA extr

SUBMITTER: Ayanful-Torgby R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6003688 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature