Epidemiología de malaria por Plasmodium malariae en Venezuela, 1999 - 2008 / Epidemiology of Plasmodium malariae in Venezuela (1999 – 2008)

El paludismo es un problema mundial grave que afecta de forma inaceptable la salud y el bienestar económico de las comunidades más pobres del mundo. En Venezuela, durante el decenio 1999 - 2008, fueron diagnosticados 341.200 casos de malaria, con una incidencia de 0,1% a Plasmodium malariae. Históricamente se conocía que la incidencia a este Plasmodium era exclusiva del estado Amazonas y así lo demuestran los registros del programa nacional antimalárico. Ahora la mayoría de los diagnósticos (61,4%) son realizados en el estado Bolívar, en sesenta y nueve (69) de sus localidades, pudiendo ser consideradas algunas, como focos de P. malariae durante los últimos tres años, especialmente la localidad de Matupo I, en el municipio Sifontes. Aunque el laboratorio Central o de referencia nacional para el diagnóstico de malaria de la Dirección de Salud Ambiental, ubicado en la ciudad de Maracay, no ha podido corroborar los diagnósticos realizados en el país sobre la especie, es conocido el aumento de interés por el mismo, de un grupo de investigadores y la Dirección Regional de Saneamiento Ambiental del estado Bolívar, lo cual podría ser la causa del aumento de su incidencia en el área

Malaria remains a major global problem, affecting in an unacceptable way the health and economic welfare of the world’s poorest communities. In Venezuela, during the decade 1999 - 2008, 341,200 cases of malaria were diagnosed, with an incidence of 0.1% for Plasmodium malariae. Historically it has been known that the incidence of this Plasmodium was unique to the Amazon state as shown by the national malaria program records. Now most of the diagnoses (61.4%) are made in Bolivar state in sixty-nine (69) localities, some may be considered as foci of P. malariae in the last three years, especially the town of Matupo I in the municipality Sifontes. Although the central or national reference laboratory for malaria diagnosis of the Directorate of Environmental Health, located in the city of Maracay, was unable to corroborate the diagnoses on this species, it has an increased interest in it, including a group of researchers and the Regional Bureau of Environmental Sanitation in Bolívar state, who think this could be the cause of increased incidence in the area

Presencia de Plasmodium brasilianum (Apicomplexa, Plasmodidae) en el mono congo (Alouatta palliata, Primates: Cebidae) de Costa Rica: importancia epidemiológica en relación con el ser humano / Plasmodium brasilianum (Apicomplexa, Plasmodidae) in the congo monkey Alouatta brasilianum (Primate: Cebidae) of Costa Rica: epidemiological importance related to human

La especie productora de malaria en primates, Plasmodium brasilianum, fue encontrada por primera vez en Costa Rica en 6 de 104 ejemplares de monos congo o aulladores (Alouatta palliata). Los animales fueron capturados y anestesiados por medio de dardos que contenían hidrocloruro de tiletamina y zolazepam (Zoletil®) combinados en partes iguales. Para estudiar estos animales por parásitos sanguíneos, se prepararon frotis sanguíneos que luego se tiñeron y se estudiaron en el laboratorio, encontrándose las formas de trofozoitos jóvenes o avanzados así como gametocitos y esquizontes. La morfología característica de algunos estados evolutivos, como por ejemplo, las formas en banda de trofozoitos avanzados y los esquizontes en forma de margarita o "rosetta" permitieron el diagnóstico de la especie. Puesto que se han encontrado casos humanos infectados con este organismo y éste es casi indiferenciable de Plasmodium malariae, una especie parásita del ser humano, se discute el hallazgo de este parásito desde un punto de vista epidemiológico en el área de la salud.

Malaria in Iran: past and present situation

Malaria had being widely prevalent for a long time in Iran. Before starting any anti-malarial campaign in Iran about 60% of population was living in malaria endemic areas. In hyper-endemic areas, approximately 30 to 40% of the total mortality was due to malaria. The malariometric data, reported during 1921-1949 in the malaria surveys in some endemic areas, showed high endemicities of the disease in most parts of the country. The first malaria-training course for preliminary operations of anti-malaria campaign was started in Iran in 1945. Afterwards, in the courses conducted, mostly by the Institute of Malariology many technical personnel were trained. In 1947, for the first time DDT was used in mosquito control in a pilot study in malaria hyper-endemic villages near Tehran. It caused great reduction in malaria transmission. Anti-malarial campaign including drug prophylaxis and treatment, anti-mosquito spraying with DDT and some anti-larval control measures, carried out during 1948-1956, considerably decreased malaria infection rate in most endemic areas. In 1957, malaria eradication programme [MEP] started in Iran and up to 1980 almost interrupted malaria transmission in the north parts of the country. However, in the south parts although the infection rate considerably decreased, but due to some technical and operational problems, malaria transmission was not interrupted. Therefore, in 1980 the MEP shifted to malaria control programme [MCP] which has been continuing up to present time. From 25 species of Anopheles found in Iran, 8 species of A. stephensi, A. fluviatilis, A. culicifacies, A. pulcherimus, A. d_thali, A. superpictus, A. sacharovi and A. maculipennis are considered to be malaria vectors. The prevalent species of Plasmodia in Iran are P. falciparum and P. vivax. P. malariae is rare. The main problems, in the malaria endemic areas of the southeast parts of Iran are resistance of the main vectors to some insecticides as well as high resistance of P. falciparum to chloroquine. The total reported malaria cases in Iran from 96340 with 45% P. falciparum in 1991, gradually, decreased to 18966 with 12% P. falciparum in 2005. About 30 to 50% of malaria patients have been among foreign immigrants

Falciparum malaria-a review of 120 cases

Malaria affects an estimated 300 million people and causes more than a million deaths per year worldwide. Falciparum malaria has high mortality as it causes complications like cerebral malaria, renal failure and algid malaria. Increasing resistance to Chloroquine in P.falciparum has further aggravated the problem. This study comprising of 120 cases of falciparum malaria, [exclusively males], was conducted at CMH, Multan, to evaluate seasonal variation, modes of presentation, complications and response to various drugs in troops stationed at Multan, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and adjoining area of Baluchistan. Fever was present in 100% cases, chills in 62%, vomiting in 31%, headache in 30% and diarrhea in 7% patients. Anemia was present in 13% patients, jaundice in 11%, signs of meningism in 1.6%. One patient had pulmonary edema while another one developed black water fever. Resistance to Chloroquine was observed in 33%, Fansidar in 37%, Quinine in 3%. Incidence of falciparum malaria was significantly higher among troops during the months of August to November. Quinine was the most effective drug against P. falciparum

Prevalence of malarial parasite species in Multan district

A cross sectional study was carried out in Multan District to find out the prevalence of various plasmodium species causing malaria. Out of 500 cases of fever, 86[17.2%] were positive for malarial parasite in blood smear slides. Out of positive cases 52 [60.5%] were identified as plasmodium vivax infection; 32[37.2%] cases with plasmodium falciparum and 2[2.3%] cases of mixed infection due to plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum. There was no case of plasmodium malariae or plasmodium ovale infection observed in the present study. These results are compared with those of other studies done in Pakistan and elsewhere. The growing problems of the drug resistance and severe infection due to plasmodium falciparum are highlighted