ABSTRACT
Malaria is a major problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries, with high morbidity and mortality. Splenectomy makes patients more susceptible to serious bacterial and parasitic infections. We report for the first time in Iran a fatal case of Plasmodium vivax malaria, confirmed by microscopic and molecular (Semi-nested multiplex PCR) tests in a patient who had undergone splenectomy due to hemolytic anemia.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Malaria is still one of the most important infectious diseases in the world. The disease also is a public health problem in south and southeast of Iran. This study programmed to show the correlation between regular malaria microscopy training and refresher training courses and control of malaria in Iran. METHODS: Three types of training courses were conducted in this programme including; five - day, ten - day and bimonthly training courses. Each of the training courses contained theoretical and practical sections and training impact was evaluated by practical examination and multiple-choice quizzes through pre and post tests. RESULTS: Distribution pattern of the participants in the training and refresher training courses showed that the most participants were from Sistan & Baluchistan and Hormozgan provinces where malaria is endemic and most cases of the infection come out from these malarious areas. A total of 695 identified individuals were participated in the training courses. A significant conversely correlation was found between conducting malaria microscopy training courses and annual malaria cases in Iran. CONCLUSION: Conducting a suitable programme for malaria microscopy training and refresher training plays an important role in the control of malaria in endemic areas. Obviously, the decrease of malaria cases in Iran has been achieved due to some activities that malaria diagnosis training was one of them.
ABSTRACT
Asymptomatic malaria infection is often associated with subpatent level of parasitaemia and normal clinical examination. Such infection becomes a greater cause for concern when involved in blood transfusion and vector transmission. This study was performed to monitor the situation of asymptomatic malaria among the Afghani immigrants and native residents in Iranshahr district, a malaria endemic area in southeastern Iran, by performing conventional light microscopy. Out of 446 samples collected from Afghani immigrant participants, seven (1.6%) thick blood smears were diagnosed as Plasmodium vivax. None of the individuals who tested positive had malaria symptoms and they did not remember having had any malaria signs during the past two years. Out of 496 samples collected from native resident participants, three (0.6%) thick blood smears were detected as P. vivax and Plasmodium falciparum with mild malaria symptoms. An asymptomatic Plasmodium-infected individual can be a source of malaria parasites for transmission of the agents.
