Asymptomatic Plasmodium infection among primary schoolchildren and Anopheles-mediated malaria transmission: A cross-sectional study in Ouidah; south-western Benin

Medjigbodo, Adandé A., Djossou, Laurette, Adoha, Constantin J., Djihinto, Oswald Y., Ogouyemi-Hounto, Aurore, Donnelly, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5218-1497, Weetman, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5820-1388 and Djogbenou, Luc (2023) 'Asymptomatic Plasmodium infection among primary schoolchildren and Anopheles-mediated malaria transmission: A cross-sectional study in Ouidah; south-western Benin'. Parasite Epidemiology and Control, Vol 21, e00285.

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Abstract

Understanding the contribution of asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers in malaria transmission might be helpful to design and implement new control measures. The present study explored the prevalence of asymptomatic and symptomatic Plasmodium infections (asexual and sexual stages) and the contribution of asymptomatic P. falciparum carriers to Anopheles-mediated malaria transmission in Ouidah (Benin). Thick and thin blood smears were examined from finger-prick blood specimens using light microscopy, and the density of both asexual and sexual stages of Plasmodium species was calculated. Infectivity of gametocyte-infected blood samples to Anopheles gambiae was assessed through direct membrane feeding assays. The prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infections was 28.73% (289/1006). All the asymptomatic gametocyte-carriers (19/19), with gametocytaemia ranging from 10 ̶ 1200 gametocytes/μL of blood, were infectious to An. gambiae mosquitoes. The mean oocyst prevalences varied significantly (χ2 = 16.42, df = 7, p = 0.02) among laboratory mosquito strains (6.9 ̶ 39.4%) and near-field mosquitoes (4.9 ̶ 27.2%). Likewise, significant variation (χ2 = 56.85, df = 7, p = 6.39 × 10−10) was observed in oocyst intensity. Our findings indicate that asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers could significantly contribute to malaria transmission. Overall, this study highlights the importance of diagnosing and treating asymptomatic and symptomatic infection carriers during malaria control programmes.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QX Parasitology > Protozoa > QX 135 Plasmodia QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 515 Anopheles WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria WS Pediatrics > WS 20 Research (General)
Faculty: Department:	Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parepi.2023.e00285
Depositing User:	Lynn Roberts-Maloney
Date Deposited:	09 Feb 2023 10:10
Last Modified:	09 Feb 2023 10:10
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/21936

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