A study of prevalence and seasonal trends of different malarial species in district hospital

Abstract

Background: Malaria imposes great socio-economic burden on humanity. In India, the epidemiology of malaria is complex because of wide distribution of anopheline vectors which transmitting mainly two Plasmodial species named P. falciparum and P. vivax. Though India is one of the known endemic countries, incidence of malaria is commonly influenced by environmental factors like climate, season, temperature and socioeconomic status. Objectives of the study were to know the prevalence of different malarial species and to know the seasonal trend of malaria.

Methods: This study done microbiology department of district hospital over period of June 2015 to December 2015. We had collected total 6763 samples. We used Microscopic examination for the diagnosis of malaria by preparing thick and thin smears and stained using field stain.

Results: We had collected total 6763 samples out of which 108 samples are found microscopically positive (1.5%). In our hospital we observed only Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum spp. Prevalence of P. vivax (64%) found more compare to P. falciparum (34%) and peak positivity rate found in July to October.

Conclusions: In our study the most frequently implicated species was P. vivax. This indicates that P. vivax is the most widespread infection in India which results in a pronounced morbidity and the seasonal prevalence observed high in July to October. In order to implement effective preventive measures, proper surveillance on the incidence and prevalence of malaria is required.