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. 2018 Oct 26;17(1):390.
doi: 10.1186/s12936-018-2537-5.

Detection of foci of residual malaria transmission through reactive case detection in Ethiopia

Endalew Zemene  1 , Cristian Koepfli  2 , Abebaw Tiruneh  3 , Asnakew K Yeshiwondim  4 , Dinberu Seyoum  5 , Ming-Chieh Lee  2 , Guiyun Yan  2 , Delenasaw Yewhalaw  3   6
Affiliations

Detection of foci of residual malaria transmission through reactive case detection in Ethiopia

Endalew Zemene et al. Malar J. .

Abstract

Background: Sub-microscopic and asymptomatic infections could be bottlenecks to malaria elimination efforts in Ethiopia. This study determined the prevalence of malaria, and individual and household-level factors associated with Plasmodium infections obtained following detection of index cases in health facilities in Jimma Zone.

Methods: Index malaria cases were passively detected and tracked in health facilities from June to November 2016. Moreover, family members of the index houses and neighbours located within approximately 200 m from the index houses were also screened for malaria.

Results: A total of 39 index cases initiated the reactive case detection of 726 individuals in 116 households. Overall, the prevalence of malaria using microscopy and PCR was 4.0% and 8.96%, respectively. Seventeen (43.6%) of the index cases were from Doyo Yaya kebele, where parasite prevalence was higher. The majority of the malaria cases (90.74%) were asymptomatic. Fever (AOR = 12.68, 95% CI 3.34-48.18) and history of malaria in the preceding 1 year (AOR = 3.62, 95% CI 1.77-7.38) were significant individual-level factors associated with detection of Plasmodium infection. Moreover, living in index house (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.16-4.27), house with eave (AOR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.14-4.55), area of residence (AOR = 6.81, 95% CI 2.49-18.63) and family size (AOR = 3.35, 95% CI 1.53-7.33) were main household-level predictors for residual malaria transmission.

Conclusion: The number of index cases per kebele may enhance RACD efforts to detect additional malaria cases in low transmission settings. Asymptomatic and sub-microscopic infections were high in the study area, which need new or improved surveillance tools for malaria elimination efforts.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Low-transmission setting; Malaria; Reactive case detection; Residual malaria transmission.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of the index houses and neighbours in the study area
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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