A declining pattern of malaria prevalence in Asendabo Health Center Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective: To assess the status of malaria prevalence in one of the malaria endemic areas of Ethiopia.

Results: A 10-year report of malaria cases were obtained from Asendabo Health Center, Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Following a retrospective study design, data of 68, 421 febrile patients diagnosed and treated in the health center were included in the study. The year with the highest prevalence rate (34.9%) was 2010, whereas the lowest was 2016 (0.62%). The number of diagnosed malaria cases from September to November were significantly higher (P = 0.023, n = 6336, 46.5%) than in other months. Plasmodium falciparum (52.1%, n = 7087) and Plasmodium vivax (44.2%, n = 6009) were the two principal plasmodium species accountable for malaria infections in the study area. The current study is a supportive evidence for the reduction of malaria prevalence in malaria endemic areas of Ethiopia.

Keywords: Malaria; P. falciparum; P. vivax; Prevalence; Seasonal variation.

Fig. 1

Plasmodium species accountable for malaria infection in Asendabo Health Center (2007–2016). Pf: Plasmodium falciparum; Pv: Plasmodium vivax; Mixed: infection with both P.f and P.v