title: Asymptomatic malarial parasitaemia in Tamil Nadu.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the community prevalence of asymptomatic malarial parasitaemia in the state of Tamil Nadu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Free medical camps were organised in three randomly selected districts of Tamil Nadu, namely Dindigul, Ramnad and Thanjavur districts in November, 1997. Proportionate to population size cluster survey method was followed to collect peripheral blood smear by finger prick from 30 clusters in each district. Fifteen households were randomly selected from each district with the target age group of 15-45 years. Peripheral blood smears were stained by Leishman's stain and the slides were examined end to end by two independent experts to diagnose malarial parasites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The male:female ratio of the population studied was 1:1.6. Asymptomatic malaria was identified in 17 out of 569 individuals screened with a positive rate of 2.9% (CI 1.5-4.3). Out of the 17 malarial positive peripheral smears 15 were P. vivax and only two were P. falciparum with the predominance of gametocyte stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reaffirms the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in Tamil Nadu especially with P. vivax.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Dr. AL Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Rajendran
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Rajesh
authors: S P
authors: SP
authors: Thyagarajan
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Balakrishnan
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hari
authors: A G
authors: AG
authors: Joyee
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kurien
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Krishnmurthy
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Jacob
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence