Prospects of human malaria and Bancroftian filariasis infections in the Lower Rufiji Basin, Tanzania. I. Malaria.
Surveys for human malaria infections were conducted in the Lower Rufiji Basin in Tanzania, before and after the long rains in 1981. A multipurpose water resources development project has been planned in the area. Overall asexual malaria parasite, gametocyte and spleen rates of 38.6%, 3.8% and 21.1% respectively were observed before the long rains whilst respective parameters after the long rains were 44.5%, 2.8% and 17.3%. Malaria parasite species percentages of 95.5, 1.0, 0.2 and 3.4 were observed in respect of P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and mixed infections respectively for both periods. Malaria endemicity in the Lower Rufiji Basin ranges between mesoendemic to hyperendemic. Following implementation of the project, malaria is likely to become holoendemic.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D013636:Tanzania