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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