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. 2012 Dec;87(6):989-995.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0047. Epub 2012 Nov 5.

Marked age-dependent prevalence of symptomatic and patent infections and complexity of distribution of human Plasmodium species in central Vietnam

Hong Van Nguyen, Peter van den Eede, Chantal van Overmeir, Ngo Duc Thang, Le Xuan Hung, Umberto D'Alessandro, Annette Erhart

Marked age-dependent prevalence of symptomatic and patent infections and complexity of distribution of human Plasmodium species in central Vietnam

Hong Van Nguyen et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

In Vietnam, Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax are responsible for most malaria infections, and P. malariae and P. ovale infections are rarely reported. Nevertheless, species-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis on 2,303 blood samples collected during a cross-sectional survey conducted in a forest area of central Vietnam identified 223 (9.7%) P. falciparum, 170 (7.4%) P. vivax, 95 (4.1%) P. malariae, and 19 (0.8%) P. ovale mono-infections and 164 (7.1%) mixed infections. Of the 671 Plasmodium-positive samples by polymerase chain reaction, only 331 were detected by microscopy. Microscopy poorly diagnosed P. malariae, P. ovale, and mixed infections. Clinical and sub-clinical infections occurred in all age groups. The risk for infection and disease decreased with age, probably because of acquired partial immunity. The common occurrence of sub-patent infections seems to indicate that the malaria burden is underestimated and that diagnostic and therapeutic policies should be adapted accordingly.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Prevalence of patent (gray bars) and sub-patent (white bars) malaria infections by age group, Central Vietnam.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Prevalence of gametocyte carriage and mixed malaria infections with mean parasite density (geometric mean) by age group, central Vietnam. Mono = mono-infections.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Prevalence of symptomatic, asymptomatic and sub-patent malaria infections by age group, central Vietnam.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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