Overlapping distribution of Plasmodium falciparum and soil transmitted helminths in a malaria hyperendemic region, North-Central Nigeria

Prevalence and effect of Plasmodium spp. and hookworm co-infection on malaria parasite density and haemoglobin level: a meta-analysis

“…and hookworm co-infection in Africa (34/37, 91.9%) 8 – 13 , 20 , 24 – 50 while the remaining studies were from Asia (1 Thai-Burmese border, 1 Indonesia) 51 , 52 or South America (Brazil) 53 . Most of the included studies conducted in Africa were in Nigeria (8/34, 23.5%) 11 , 24 , 28 , 32 , 33 , 45 , 46 , 50 , followed by Ethiopia (6/34, 17.6%) 8 , 9 , 12 , 13 , 31 , 42 , Tanzania (4/34, 11.8%) 38 – 40 , 49 , Uganda (4/34, 11.8%) 34 , 36 , 44 , 47 , Coˆted’Ivoire (3/34, 8.8%) 10 , 41 , 48 , Ghana (3/34, 8.8%) 26 , 27 , 35 , Kenya (2/34, 5.88%) 30 , 37 , Gabon (2/34, 5.88%) 20 , 25 and Cameroon. One study covered three countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda 29 .…”

“…Most of the included studies were conducted in school-age children (19/37, 51.4%) 9 , 20 , 24 , 29 , 30 , 35 – 45 , 49 , 52 , 53 , pregnant women (7/37, 18.9%) 25 , 28 , 32 – 34 , 46 , 51 , residents in the community (6/37, 16.2%) 10 , 11 , 26 , 27 , 47 , 48 , and acute febrile patients (4/37, 10.8%) 8 , 12 , 13 , 31 , while 1 study was conducted in voluntary donors 50 . Of the 37 studies included in the present analysis, 22,191 participants were confirmed to have malaria infection.…”

“…A subgroup analysis of participants demonstrated that the pooled prevalence of co-infection was highest in residents in the community (37%, 95% CI 10–64%, I 2 99.9%), acute febrile patients (21%, 95% CI 6–37%, I 2 98.9%), pregnant women (20%, 95% CI 9–31%, I 2 97.5%) and school-age children (14%, 95% CI 10–18%, I 2 98.8%). One study conducted on voluntary donors demonstrated 45% (95% CI 40–50) co-infection 50 . The results of the individual study demonstrated that the prevalence of Plasmodium spp.…”

“…Ten studies 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 24 , 28 , 38 , 40 , 50 , 53 were rated as high-quality studies, since they reported the outcomes of interest, whereas the rest of the studies were rated as moderate quality, since they reported only the data of co-infection cases but not data on haemoglobin and malaria parasite density (Supplementary Table S2 ).…”

“…The pooled MD of malaria parasite density between patients with co-infection (478 cases) and Plasmodium mono-infection (920 cases) was estimated from 7 studies 11 , 13 , 24 , 28 , 40 , 50 , 53 . The results demonstrated no difference in the mean malaria parasite density between patients with co-infection and Plasmodium mono-infection when a random effect model was used ( p 0.22, MD 885.1, 95% CI − 518.9–2289.1, I 2 100%).…”