90. Prevalence and distribution of human malarial infection in district Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
Abstract
Abstract
The present study was undertaken during 2015-17 with the objective to provide data of malarial infections in human population based on incidences in twenty different localities of district Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The blood slides of suspected patients were studied to identify the malarial parasites. Slide positivity was found to be 1478 (39.20%) out of 3770 and Plasmodium vivax infection was 905 (61.23%), Plasmodium falciparum 425 (28.75%) and mixed species (P. vivax and P. falciparum) 148 (10.01%) were identified. In the month of December, 150 cases (73.25%) of P. vivax infection counted to be the highest, whereas, 42 cases (58.33%) of P. vivax in the month of September were recorded. The P. falciparum infection remained highest in the month of August with 58 cases (25.66%) and lowest in the month of May with 24 (23.76%). Similarly infection of mixed species remained highest 30 (13.27%) in August and lowest 7 (7.60%) in the month of February. Infection in male was highest 850 (57.51%) and female was lowest 628 (42.48%). No incidence of Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae infection was to be observed in this study. The results of present research work concluded that P. vivax and P. falciparum are serious health hazards which can ultimately lead to serious cerebral malaria problems. However, no association was found between age group, sex and type of infection. Therefore, it can be concluded that the incidence of any type of infection may happened from person to person of any age group and in any sex.
Keywords: Incidence; Infection; Multan; Mixed species; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax