The neglected burden of Plasmodium vivax malaria

Abstract

Abstract. We estimate that the global burden of malaria due to Plasmodium vivax is ϳ70-80 million cases annually. Probably ϳ10-20% of the world's cases of P. vivax infection occur in Africa, south of the Sahara. In eastern and southern Africa, P. vivax represents around 10% of malaria cases but Ͻ 1% of cases in western and central Africa. Outside of African, P. vivax accounts for Ͼ 50% of all malaria cases. About 80-90% of P. vivax outside of Africa occurs in the Middle East, Asia, and the Western Pacific, mainly in the most tropical regions, and 10-15% in Central and South America. Because malaria transmission rates are low in most regions where P. vivax is prevalent, the human populations affected achieve little immunity to this parasite; as a result, in these regions, P. vivax infections affect people of all ages. Although the effects of repeated attacks of P. vivax through childhood and adult life are only rarely directly lethal, they can have major deleterious effects on personal well-being, growth, and development, and on the economic performance at the individual, family, community, and national levels. Features of the transmission biology of P. vivax give this species greater resilience than the less robust Plasmodium falciparum in the face of conditions adverse to the transmission of the parasites. Therefore, as control measures become more effective, the residual malaria burden is likely increasingly to become that of P. vivax.

Large scale screening for haemoglobin disorders in southern Vietnam: implications for avoidance and management

“…Transmission intensity in Vietnam is sufficiently low to warrant consideration of eradication therapy for infected individuals, as the likelihood of relapse is expected to be much greater than that of reinfection. Eradication requires a protracted course of primaquine (Mendis et al, 2001), and the significant prevalence of G-6-PD deficiency documented here is of considerable clinical importance. Further population studies are warranted.…”

Malaria: current status of control, diagnosis, treatment, and a proposed agenda for research and development

“…Resistance of this parasite to chloroquine is geographically still limited, 96 though likely to increase. Although it causes recurring and debilitating infections, P vivax rarely kills.…”

Study of clinical presentation of malaria and the associated liver profile changes in various species of plasmodia

“…16 They attributed these elevated serum bilirubin levels to intravascular haemolysis and associated renal failure, leading to decreased excretion of bilirubin. [17][18][19] Murthy et al in their study of 95 patients observed that high serum bilirubin levels in malaria were associated with a more severe course of illness, and with higher incidence of complications and poor prognosis because of histopathological changes to the liver. 11…”