Public‐health epidemiology in Vanuatu

Bastien, Patrick

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1990.tb124420.x

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The fact that the basin (or regime) shift in the time series can be attributed to the effects of bed net use appears robust. During the study period no other major changes in control strategies, landscape cover, medication or drug resistance were reported [ 10 , 11 , 19 ] after controlling for the policy change in data collection [ 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Malaria in the archipelago of Vanuatu has historically been a major public health problem as shown by the early entomological surveys of Buxton and Hopkins [ 9 ], followed by the extensive work of Bastien [ 10 ], where an increase in the burden of the disease in the early 1980s was reported [ 11 ], as well as its possible association to the evolution of quinine resistant parasites [ 12 , 13 ], numerous studies have shown this disease to be a major burden for Vanuatu inhabitants. Although occasionally hyperendemic, like in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa, malaria patterns are very different from this region in several aspects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Malaria transmission pattern resilience to climatic variability is mediated by insecticide-treated nets

Chaves

Kaneko

Taleo

et al. 2008

Malar J

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Background: Malaria is an important public-health problem in the archipelago of Vanuatu and climate has been hypothesized as important influence on transmission risk. Beginning in 1988, a major intervention using insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) was implemented in the country in an attempt to reduce Plasmodium transmission. To date, no study has addressed the impact of ITN intervention in Vanuatu, how it may have modified the burden of disease, and whether there were any changes in malaria incidence that might be related to climatic drivers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malaria transmission pattern resilience to climatic variability is mediated by insecticide-treated nets

Chaves

Kaneko

Taleo

et al. 2008

Malar J

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“…Early attempts were made to control malaria on the islands using insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN), which eventually became the mainstay of malaria control efforts especially in rural areas [ 21 ]. Both Plasmodium falciparum and relapsing Plasmodium vivax exist in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands usually with a predominance of P. falciparum ; some observers noted interaction between the species as a possible protective mechanism [ 15 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malaria on isolated Melanesian islands prior to the initiation of malaria elimination activities

2010

Malar J

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Background The Australian Government's Pacific Malaria Initiative (PacMI) is supporting the National Malaria Program in both Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, complementing assistance from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). Two remote island groups - Tafea Province, Vanuatu and Temotu Province, Solomon Islands have been selected by the governments of both countries as possible malaria elimination areas. To provide information on the prevalence and distribution of the disease within these island groups, malariometric surveys were conducted during the wet seasons of 2008. Methods In Tafea Province, a school-based survey was conducted which included the 2-12 y age group, while in Temotu a village based all-ages survey was conducted. An effort was made to sample villages or schools from a wide an area as possible on all islands. Diagnosis was initially based on Giemsa stained blood slides followed by molecular analysis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results In Tafea Province, 73% (5238/7150) of children (2-12 y) were surveyed and in Temotu Province, in the all-ages survey, 50.2% (8742/17410) of the provincial population participated in the survey. In both Vanuatu and Solomon Islands malariometric surveys of their southern-most islands in 2008 showed relatively low over-all malaria parasite prevalence (2 to 3%). Other features of malaria in these island groups were low parasitaemia, low gametocyte carriage rates, low spleen rates, low malaria associated morbidity, a high incidence of asymptomatic infections, and a predominance of Plasmodium vivax over Plasmodium falciparum . Conclusion For various reasons malaria rates are declining in these provinces providing a favourable situation for local malaria elimination. This will be advanced using mass distribution of bed nets and selective indoor residual spraying, the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests and artemisinin combination therapy, and intensive case detection and surveillance. It is as yet uncertain whether malaria parasites can themselves be sustainably eliminated from entire Melanesian islands, where they have previously been endemic. Key issues on the road to malaria elimination will be continued community involvement, improved field diagnostic methods and elimination of residual P. vivax parasites from the liver of asymptomatic persons.

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More on Malaria Mortality in the Pacific

Bastien¹

1999

Parasitology Today

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Public‐health epidemiology in Vanuatu

Cited by 3 publications

References 6 publications

Malaria transmission pattern resilience to climatic variability is mediated by insecticide-treated nets

Malaria transmission pattern resilience to climatic variability is mediated by insecticide-treated nets

Malaria on isolated Melanesian islands prior to the initiation of malaria elimination activities

More on Malaria Mortality in the Pacific

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