The Prevalence Of Malaria Seropositive And Seronegative Population Among Kwara State University
[A CASE STUDY OF MALETE STUDENTS.]

1.2 Statement of problem
Malaria infection is a major public health challenge for many countries in the world (especially developing countries e.g Nigeria) causing tremendous high rates of morbidity and mortality (Jennison, 2015). The Plasmodium falciparum species infections are responsible for the majority of the human severe malaria burden worldwide (Greenwood and Mutabingwa, 2002). This species is found worldwide in tropical and sub-tropical regions. It is estimated that every year approximately one million people are killed by species, especially in Nigeria where this species predominates (Greenwood and Mutabingwa, 2002; Abdel-gadir, 2015).
This parasite causes a lot of harvoc to the body such as destruction of red blood cells, leading to the clinical signs and symptoms such as fever, flu-like, chills etc. diarrhea, and anemia and jaundice due to loss of red blood cells unless treated quickly the disease can kill within 24 hours (Wells et al., 2009). Methods used in order to prevent the spread of disease, or to protect individuals in areas where malaria is endemic, include prophylactic drugs, mosquito eradication and the prevention of mosquito bites (Kochar et al., 2009). The continued existence of malaria in an area requires a combination of high human population density, high mosquito population density and high rates of transmission from humans to mosquitoes and from mosquitoes to humans (Akinleye, 2009). If any of these is lowered sufficiently, the parasite will sooner or later disappear from community (Snow et al., 2005). Many states, communities, institutions, seeing an increasing number of imported malaria cases owing to extensive travel and migration and little or no information is available as regarding the seroprevalence of malaria parasite in Kwara State University, Malete. Hence the need for the seroprevalence study to estimate the proportion (percentage) of student who seropositive and those seronegative of malaria infection.
1.3 Justification
It has been established that people of all ages are affected by malaria infection in sub-saharan Africa, especially Nigeria which bear the heaviest burden of malaria attack which is either treated at home or in the hospital. Early recognition and appropriate treatment can go a long way in minimizing the outcome of the disease. Previously, WHO (2014) has advocated for the management of malaria infections in the homes, institutions, work place, campuses should be done before seeking help from any near by health out let. In the recent time WHO urges endemic countries and malaria partners to adopt diagnostic testing, treatment and surveillance for malaria (WHO, 2011). Endemic countries and stakeholders should ensure that every suspected malaria case is tested and that every confirmed case be treated with a quality-assured anti malarial drug, and that every malaria case be tracked in a surveillance system. Due to this it became necessary to verify and compare the relationship between practice, socio-economic demographic characteristics and malaria infection serology status. There is paucity of information or no previous data on the seropositive or seronegative  prevalence of malaria among Kwara State University, Malete students. Hence the significance of this research.