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Volume 29, Number 6—June 2023
Research

Similar Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Non–P. falciparum Malaria Infections among Schoolchildren, Tanzania1

Rachel Sendor2, Cedar L. Mitchell2, Frank Chacky, Ally Mohamed, Lwidiko E. Mhamilawa, Fabrizio Molteni, Ssanyu Nyinondi, Bilali Kabula, Humphrey Mkali, Erik J. Reaves, Naomi Serbantez, Chonge Kitojo, Twilumba Makene, Thwai Kyaw, Meredith Muller, Alexis Mwanza, Erin L. Eckert, Jonathan B. Parr, Jessica T. Lin3, Jonathan J. Juliano3Comments to Author , and Billy Ngasala3
Author affiliations: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA (R. Sendor, C.L. Mitchell, T. Kyaw, M. Muller, A. Mwanza, J.B. Parr, J.T. Lin, J.J. Juliano); National Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania (F. Chacky, A. Mohamed); Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (L.E. Mhamilawa, T. Makene, B. Ngasala); Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland (F. Molteni); RTI International, Dar es Salaam (S. Nyinondi, B. Kabula, H. Mkali); US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam (E.J. Reaves); US Agency for International Development, Dar es Salaam (N. Serbantez, C. Kitojo); RTI International, Washington, DC, USA (E.L. Eckert); Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (B. Ngasala)

Main Article

Figure 2

Estimated parasite density distributions according to malaria species in study of similar prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and non–P. falciparum malaria infections among schoolchildren, Tanzania. We estimated Plasmodium spp. parasite densities for single infections and co-infections (mixed) by using semiquantitative PCR and species-specific primers (Appendix Table 1). Mixed infections included P. falciparum and nonfalciparum co-infections. Number of samples varied by species. P. ovale and P. vivax parasite densities were detected by using 45 PCR cycles; other species were determined by using 40 PCR cycles. A) P. falciparum: median (IQR) density was 11.4 (2.5–54.7) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 429) and 16.5 (3.5–56.9) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 326) (p = 0.117). B) P. ovale: median (IQR) density was 13.5 (1.3–30.1) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 519) and 3.1 (1.2–11.4) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 295) (p<0.001). C) P. malariae: median (IQR) density was 16.1 (3.8–164.0) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 24) and 11.2 (2.6–53.9) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections ([n = 112) (p = 0.169). D) P. vivax: median (IQR) density was 0.4 (0.2–0.9) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 4) and 0.7 (0.5–0.8) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 7) (p = 0.571). IQR, interquartile range.

Figure 2. Estimated parasite density distributions according to malaria species in study of similar prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and non–P. falciparum malaria infections among schoolchildren, Tanzania. We estimated Plasmodium spp. parasite densities for single infections and co-infections (mixed) by using semiquantitative PCR and species-specific primers (Appendix Table 1). Mixed infections included P. falciparum and nonfalciparum co-infections. Number of samples varied by species. P. ovale and P. vivax parasite densities were detected by using 45 PCR cycles; other species were determined by using 40 PCR cycles. A) P. falciparum: median (IQR) density was 11.4 (2.5–54.7) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 429) and 16.5 (3.5–56.9) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 326) (p = 0.117). B) P. ovale: median (IQR) density was 13.5 (1.3–30.1) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 519) and 3.1 (1.2–11.4) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 295) (p<0.001). C) P. malariae: median (IQR) density was 16.1 (3.8–164.0) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 24) and 11.2 (2.6–53.9) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections ([n = 112) (p = 0.169). D) P. vivax: median (IQR) density was 0.4 (0.2–0.9) parasites/µL for single-species infections (n = 4) and 0.7 (0.5–0.8) parasites/µL for mixed-species infections (n = 7) (p = 0.571). IQR, interquartile range.

Main Article

1Data from this study were presented as a virtual poster at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference, November 17–21, 2021.

2These first authors contributed equally to this article.

3These senior authors contributed equally to this article.

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