title: Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection in asymptomatic rural Gabonese populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria may be perennial or epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, and its transmission may be stable or unstable, depending on the region. The prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum carriage is poorly documented in Gabon. A large survey of P. falciparum infection was conducted in asymptomatic individuals living in rural Gabon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-two villages were randomly selected in the nine administrative regions. With the participants' informed consent, blood samples were collected for thick and thin blood film examination after 20% Giemsa staining. Prevalence rates were calculated per village, per region and per ecosystem, and nationwide. Demographic risk factors were identified with STATA software version 9.0. Significance was assumed at p < 0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of P. falciparum in adults was 6.2% (269/4342) nationwide, with a maximum of 37.2% in one village; a linear decrease was observed with increasing age (p = 0.045). Only 5% of the 399 children from forest areas tested positive. The prevalence was significantly higher in forest areas (7%) than in savannah (4%) and lakeland (2.5%). Within the forest region, the prevalence was significantly higher in forest grassland (10.9%) than in the mountain forest (3.5%), interior forest (6.8%) and north-eastern forest (4.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasmodium falciparum carriage remains high among adults in rural Gabon. Control measures must be adapted to the region and ecosystem. Routine treatment of asymptomatic individuals should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon. dnkoghe@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkoghe
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Akue
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leroy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population