Charles Mulamba, Olukayode G Odufuwa, Prisca A Kweyamba, Linda O Lazaro, Muhamed S Chabo, Janeth J Kamage, Katharina Kreppel, Ally I Olotu, Chris L Williams
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Abstract
Background: Malaria transmission depends on the presence of gametocytes in the peripheral blood of infected human hosts. Understanding malaria infectious reservoirs enables transmission-blocking interventions to target the most important hosts for the disease. This study characterized the distribution of gametocyte carriage as a baseline for the clinical evaluation of a Pfs25-based transmission-blocking vaccine candidate in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
Methods: A malaria survey was conducted in five locations from May to August 2022. A total of 467 participants-192 children (5-12 years), 65 adolescents (13-17 years) and 210 adults (18-45 years)-were enrolled. Malaria was detected using three methods: rapid diagnostic tests, light microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The geometric mean of the gametocyte density, and weighted arithmetic mean of the gametocytes sex ratio were estimated.
Results: Overall, 23.5% (110/467) of the participants tested positive for malaria parasites, with the majority of positives (> 92%) being Plasmodium falciparum. The overall gametocytaemia was 5.6%, with a percent positivity of 6.8% (13/192), 6.2% (4/65) and 4.3% (9/210), in children, adolescents, and adults, respectively. The geometric mean gametocyte density (gametocytes/μL) was greater in adults (124.6) than in children (71.7) and adolescents (50.5). Regression analysis revealed that gametocytes were more likely to be present among male participants than among female participants [ORa: 2.79 (95% CI: 1.19 - 6.59) p = 0.019]. The gametocyte sex ratio in children and adult gametocyte carriers was similar but greater than that in adolescents.
Conclusion: The observed gametocyte densities and distribution across age groups suggest the need for malaria transmission-blocking interventions to target all populations in heterogeneous transmission settings. The implication of targeting only children may leave residual malaria transmission and reinfection from the left-out groups.
期刊介绍：
Malaria Journal is aimed at the scientific community interested in malaria in its broadest sense. It is the only journal that publishes exclusively articles on malaria and, as such, it aims to bring together knowledge from the different specialities involved in this very broad discipline, from the bench to the bedside and to the field.
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