Status of Malaria in Wau Town, Western Bahr El Ghazal, South Sudan
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Date
2017-03
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
South Sudan, like all other East African Countries through Global Fund had implemented several
control programs as per recommendation of WHO and succeeded to reduce malaria transmission from
intense to interrupted transmission contributing to the implementation of the elimination/eradication
program in the years to come. Investigation of the transmission pattern of the hotspot foci and
understanding the dynamics of malaria transmission was essential. Therefore, this study planned Hotspot
study on urban epidemiological setting of Wau town/city. Cross sectional studies of the town at 2
months intervals in the dry season and two others in wet season were planned. Sample size was
determined, peripheral blood Smear and RDT serological methods were adopted as standard methods of
prevalence study, positive in both were considered for determination of the prevalence. Accordingly,
four (4) study sites were selected and data collection was completed in Hai Nazareth, just before the
unpredicted war between the rebel and the government forces broke in the town. Hence, relying on one
time cross sectional study for prevalence study and the retrospective data of the preceding year, 2015,
taken from Health clinics and hospitals to establish the parasite prevalence. There was transmission
throughout the year and an increase in all age groups in the rainy seasons between June and October
with peak August-October. Infected individuals who visited the hospital and were found positive are
larger in number in the age groups 6-15 and above 15. The result showed that 35% of infection in those
under 5 years is greater than 23% of those between 6-10 years indicating that the under 5 are the high
risk groups. The 16.1% in those under 1 year are most vulnerable for at that age they do not have
protective immunity ready yet. P. falciparum was the only species diagnosed, accounting for 47.51% of
all subjects who visited for any other infections (52.49%), suggesting the health significance of Malaria
in the population. Primary data done in May and June showed 32.6% infection rate in the sample
population of which 5.2% were children under 5 while the age groups 6-15 and above 15 years had 13
and 14.4% respectively. All were asymptomatic cases. Given the retrospective study that showed a year
round transmission with a peak between June and October and then a decline to lowest level in
December, the Frequency of infection in Children and age group below 15 is a high level of infection
and above 15 had relatively higher infection. The demographic distribution of the study population,
Metrological data of the town, age distribution of the parasite prevalence, identification of major and
minor vectors were also reflected and their implications in breaking transmission were discussed.
Keywords: Hotspot foci, elimination, epidemiological setting, asymptomatic cases, parasite prevalence.
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Keywords
Hotspot foci, Elimination, Epidemiological setting, Asymptomatic cases, Parasite prevalence