title: Continuing intense malaria transmission in northern Uganda.
abstract: Recent reports of reductions in malaria transmission in several African countries have resulted in optimism that malaria can be eliminated in parts of Africa where it is currently endemic. It is not known whether these trends are global or whether they are also present in areas where political instability has hindered effective malaria control. We determined malaria parasite carriage and age-dependent antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum antigens in cross-sectional surveys in Apac, northern Uganda that was affected by political unrest. Under-five parasite prevalence was 55.8% (115/206) by microscopy and 71.9% (41/57) by polymerase chain reaction. Plasmodium ovale alone, or as a co-infection, was detected in 8.6% (12/139) and Plasmodium malariae in 4.3% (6/139) of the infections. Age seroprevalence curves gave no indication of recent changes in malaria transmission intensity. Malaria control remains a tremendous challenge in areas that have not benefited from large-scale interventions, illustrated here by the district of Apac.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom. carla.proietti@lshtm.ac.uk
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Davide D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Pettinato
authors.forename: Bernard N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Kanoi
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ntege
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crisanti
authors.forename: Eleanor M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Egwang
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drakeley
authors.forename: Teun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bousema
mesh_terms: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000635:transmission*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan