Full Length Research Paper

The intensity of malaria infection among cattle herdsmen in a secluded area of Okada community, South-South, Nigeria

Okafor-Elewon, E. J., Izevbuwa, O. E.* and Otote, O. P.

Abstract

Malaria intensity study was undertaken in a remote camp / settlement, predominantly inhabited by some cattle attendants /husbandmen, within the early and intense periods of the rains. Fiftynine(59) persons in which malaria parasites were found in their blood microscopically examined, were counted as positives. Age structure of the study population showed that persons under 20 years of age (N=18;34.6%) were less in number than the participants whose ages range from 20 years and above(N=34;65.4%). Gender consideration showed more male participants (51.9%) than the females (48.1%). The intensity of malaria parasites was determined by standard formula for malaria parasitaemia. The overall malaria parasite count per 100 white blood cells and parasite density per microliter of blood respectively were 5219/100WBC and 414,700/µl. The highest parasite count occurred in childrenwithin the age of 5 to 9 years. Children had more malaria parasite density per microliter of blood as compared with the adults. A negative correlation was established between age and malaria parasite density (P< 0.05). By comparing the parasite load in both sexes, there was a total of 323,760 MP/µl in the females while the difference (90,940 MP/µl) was observed in the males. In all the age groups, parasite densities were more in the females. Parasite distribution among the gender groups showed that male and female children of the 5-9 age category had the most malaria parasite relative to the others. Poor socioeconomic conditions, illiteracy and favorable breeding environment for Anopheles mosquitos were major factors responsible for the high malaria status in the settlement.

Key words: Malaria, Hausa community, intensity, microscopy, parasites.

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