Molecular Detection of the Effect of Malaria Infection on Nutritional Status in Paediatrics Attending Primary Health Care Hospitals (PHC) Around Sokoto Metropolitan, Sokoto, Nigeria

Molecular diagnosis is now considered to be the most efficient and reliable method for detection of malaria parasites; hence the present research was designed to access the effect of malaria infection on the nutritional status of the pediatrics attending PHC in Sokoto, 400 children were recruited randomly, nutritional status was determined using mid-upper armed circumference (MUAC) tape, blood samples was collected then subjected to Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nPCR) test. Out of 400 samples analyzed, 199/400 (49.75%) were acutely malnourished, 117/400 (44.25%) were normal and 84/400 (21.00%) were severely malnourished. Although 237 (59.25%,) were found positive for Plasmodium falciparum, those that are severely malnourished had the highest infection rate [78/84 (92.86%)] followed by those that are normal [124/199 (62.31%)] than those that were acutely malnourished [35/84 (41.67%)], a significant association was reported for those that are severely malnourished based on parent’s occupation (P=0.001), place of living (P=0.000), and sleeping under nets (P=0.012), there was also significant relationship in those that are normally based on gender (P=0.001), and sleeping under nets (P=0.021) only while those that were normal showed significant relationship based on sleeping under nets (P=0.001) and parents occupation (P=0.000). The high prevalence of malaria in the study demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity of molecular diagnosis. There is a need to embark on massive community campaigns and adoption of mosquito control measures in the study area.