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A Hospital Based Study Of Malaria
[IN NDIEGORO COMMUNITY, ABA SOUTH L.G.A. ABIA STATE]
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CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion:
Malaria is acknowledged to be by far the most important tropical parasitic disease causing great suffering and loss of lives (WHO, 1993).The days of labor lost, the cost of treatment of patients and the negative impact of the disease make malaria a major social economic burden (WHO, 1993).
Results from the study indicate that more than half (51.0%) of the individuals examined were positive for malaria parasites in their blood.Table 1 shows the prevalence of malaria infection with regards to age groups with the age group (0- 5) years recording highest prevalence (74.3%). The trend of this result agrees with Salako, (1994) and Steketee, (2001). Steketee, (2001) reported that in areas of stable malaria transmission, very young children are the population group at highest risk for malaria morbidity and mortality, and that most children experience their first malaria attack during their first or two of life, when they have not yet acquired adequate clinical immunity. He also reported that 90% of all deaths from malaria occur in Africa in young children.
High prevalence rate in the age group (0-5) could be due to low transferred maternal immunity or inadequate protection. Also the age group (6-15) and (16- 25) which constituted 58.30% and 41.70% of the population studied belong to the school aged class. This, therefore, may suggest that malaria is a major cause of school absenteeism among the population during the period the study was undertaken. According to WHO (1996), Malaria has been found to be one of the most common cause of school absenteeism, affecting over one –third of primary school children during a school term with more than half of the students having up to two attacks, typically missing a week more of school with each attack.
Interestingly only the ring form stage of Plasmodium falciparum represents a major public health problem in Nigeria. In related studies carried out in Awka South East Nigeria (Mbanugo and Ejims, 2000), and in LagosState, South West Nigeria (Asianyaet al, 1999), and in Azia, AnambraState (Aribodoret al, 2003) only infections of P. falciparum were reported. These findings contrast with other studies (Ukpai and Ajoku, 2001; Matur et al 2001) were cases of P.faliciparumand
P. malariaeor mixed infections with P. falciparum and P. malariaewere reported. It is however, pertinent to state that malaria caused by P. falciparum is the most widespread, accounting for up to 80% of malaria in Africa (WHR, 2002, Markell and Voge,1992).
Sex-wise, more males were infected (58.7%) than females (43.3%) (table 2). This could be due to the fact that the male expose themselves more than females especially when the weather is hot, by removing their shirts and going bare bodied. By doing this, they expose themselves to more mosquito bites.
On help-seeking behavior by the participants when sick, table 3 shows that more persons 150 (52.6%) indicated going to medical laboratory occasionally for the diagnosis of their ill health. 42 (14.7%) respondents indicated not going to laboratory. Oral interviews on some of the participant that indicated not going to laboratories revealed that this trend is either due to poverty, uncertainty of test, time consuming process and poor knowledge on the right steps to take when sick.
Table 4 shows the preventive measures against mosquito bites by the participants. A greater number of the respondents indicated use of fan (21.70%) and environmental sanitation (16.70%). The use of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) was indicated by the least group o f the respondents 5(1.7%). The reason for this low patronage was not be unconnected with the level of awareness, availability and affordability(Macintyre et al.,2002; Olayemiet al., 2003). Also 5(1.7%) of the respondents indicated that they did nothing as regards prevention of malaria infection. This agrees with the findings of Onwujekwuet al (2005) and Zambia RBM report (2001).Onwujekwuet al (2005) after investigating on the use of ITNs in Achi, Oji river L.G.A, Enugu State, reported of a very low use of the net by the people, while Zambia RBM report (2001), stated that poor families live in dwellings that offer little protection against mosquitoes and are less able to pay either for effective malaria treatment or for transportation to a health facility.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]ABSTRACTThe study surveyed the prevalence of malaria as well as management practices adpted in Ndiegoro community, Aba South L.G.A., Abia state between May and August 2009. Blood samples of 300 individuals who attended local hospital were examined using Giemsa stained thick and thin films, One hundred and fifty two (152) persons (51%) were infected with Plasmodiumfalciparum . The age group 0-5 years ( 74.3%) had the highest prevalence, while the age group 36-45 years ( 40.0%) recorded the lowest ... Continue reading---
APPENDIX A - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]depends on sex. ... Continue reading---
QUESTIONNAIRE - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]QUESTIONNAIRE NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA DEPARTMENT OF PA ... Continue reading---
LIST OF TABLES - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]LI ST OF TABLES Table 1: Age prevalence of malaria Table 2: Sex prevalence of m alaria Table 3: Help-seeking behaviour of the respondents Table 4: Preventive measures adopted Table 5: Methods of malaria treatments used Table 6: Educational background and method of treatment ... Continue reading---
LIST OF FIGURES - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1: Geographic Distribution of Malaria Figure2: The Life Cycle of Malaria ... Continue reading---
TABLE OF CONTENTS - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]TABLE OF CONTENTTitle page Certification Dedication Acknowledgement Table of content List of tables List of figures Abstract Chapter OneIntroduction 1.2Aims and objectives Chapter TwoLiterature Review 2.1 Geographical distribution of malaria 2.2 Epidemiology of malaria 2.2. Environmental factors 2.2.2 Vectorial factors 2.2.3 Host factors 2.3 Studies on the prevalences of malaria 2. ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER ONE - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]CHAPTER 1 MALARIAINTRODUCTION:Malaria is a life-threatening disease of man caused by parasite of the genus Plasmodium, which is transmitted from person to person, through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is a killer and debilitating disease and remains a formidable health and socio-economic problem in the world (Nebeet al, 2002). Jaine and Michael (1990) described it as the leading cause of death in the developing world. The World Health Report (2002) reported that about 90% ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER TWO - [ Total Page(s): 5 ]sporozoites which migrate to the salivary gland of the mosquito (Good et al, 2001). Some of these sporozoites will be expelled into the vertebrate host as the mosquito takes a blood meal, and thus reinitiate the infection in the vertebrate host.Malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion from infected person or transplacentaly from pregnant mother to the fetus. However, transmission of this nature accounts for a negligible percentage.2.6 Pathogenesis and Pathology of MalariaM ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER THREE - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]CHAPTER THREE3.0 Materials and methods3.1 The Study AreaThe study area is Ndiegoro, a semi-urban community in Aba South L.G.A. in AbiaState southeastern Nigeria. It is located between latitude 8o and 10oNof equator and longitude 8o and 10o E of the meridian. The vegetation is typically rainforest. The mean annual rainfall of about 2250 to 2500mm and mean annual temperature is 25 to 27oc with high relative humidity. The rainy season is observed from May to October while the dry season ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FOUR - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]CHAPTER FOUR4.0 RESULTSThe results showed that 153 patients were
positive for malaria parasite out of the 300 sampled. Therefore the
prevalence of malaria was found to be 51.0% for the period between May
and August, 2009. The prevalence of malaria with regards to age groups
were found to be statistically significant (p) yrs. (Table 1). It
was also observed that all the malaria cases detected were infections of
only P. falciparum. No cases of mixed infections were identified.More
ma ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER SIX - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION6.1 SummaryThis research set out to determine the prevalence of malaria infection among members of Ndiegoro community, Aba South L.G.A., AbiaState, attending hospital and to ascertain their management practices.The prevalence of malaria parasites was done using both thick and thin blood film microscopy on those attending local hospitals. On the knowledge of management practices of the people, qualitative data was elicited using structured questionnaire. ... Continue reading---
REFRENCES - [ Total Page(s): 4 ]Report of an Informal Consultation WHO, Geneva 8-9 June 2000. WHO/CDS/RBM/2001:281-8WHO (1998). Malaria: Know the facts, World Health Organization News Letter 13 (1): 6-7.WHO (1998).Examining blood for malaria parasites. Bench Aids for the Diagnosis of Malaria, 1-8 plates.World Health Organization.WHO (2000). Roll Back Malaria. Promise for Progress. Roll Back Malaria Cabinet Project, WHO Geneva, 4-6.WHO (2003a). The African Malaria Report 2003, Geneva, World Health Organization/United Nati ... Continue reading---
