title: Malaria in southern Mozambique: malariometric indicators and malaria case definition in Manhiça district.
abstract: A total of 2057 children aged <10 years were selected at random from a demographic surveillance system and enrolled in 4 malariometric cross-sectional surveys in different seasons in Manhiça district in southern Mozambique. Plasmodium falciparum accounted for 90% of all malaria infections and the prevalence of asexual P. falciparum ranged from 13.7-21.7% at the end of the dry season to 30.5-34.0% at the end of rainy season. In order to determine the malaria attributable fraction (MAF) of fever, 1021 children from a nearby hospital acted as fever cases and from this separate case-control study the crude MAF was 36%, showing a marked age dependency. Plasmodium falciparum is the most common malaria species in Manhiça. This malaria-mesoendemic area has year-round transmission. The importance of other non-malarial fever-causing conditions among infants was highlighted. Malaria appeared to be a major contributory factor to anaemia in the area.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Ministérioda Saúde, C.P. 1929 Maputo, Mozambique. epidemia@medicina.ub.es
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saúte
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aponte
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Almeda
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ascaso
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abellana
authors.forename: Neide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Martinho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dgedge
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000740:Anemia / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence