title: High Malaria Prevalence among Schoolchildren on Kome Island, Tanzania.
abstract: In order to determine the status of malaria among schoolchildren on Kome Island (Lake Victoria), near Mwanza, Tanzania, a total of 244 schoolchildren in 10 primary schools were subjected to a blood survey using the fingerprick method. The subjected schoolchildren were 123 boys and 121 girls who were 6-8 years of age. Only 1 blood smear was prepared for each child. The overall prevalence of malaria was 38.1% (93 positives), and sex difference was not remarkable. However, the positive rate was the highest in Izindabo Primary School (51.4%) followed by Isenyi Primary School (48.3%) and Bugoro Primary School (46.7%). The lowest prevalence was found in Muungano Primary School (16.7%) and Nyamiswi Primary School (16.7%). These differences were highly correlated with the location of the school on the Island; those located in the peripheral area revealed higher prevalences while those located in the central area showed lower prevalences. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species (38.1%; 93/244), with a small proportion of them mixed-infected with Plasmodium vivax (1.6%; 4/244). The results revealed that malaria is highly prevalent among primary schoolchildren on Kome Island, Tanzania, and there is an urgent need to control malaria in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Kwang
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
authors.forename: Keeseon S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medical Biology and Institute of Tropical Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
authors.forename: Tai-Soon
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon 34824, Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Julius E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Siza
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Godfrey M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kaatano
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Josephat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuboza
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mnyeshi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Changalucha
authors.affiliation: Good Neighbors International, Tanzania Western Chapter, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Yunsuk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Good Neighbors International, Tanzania Western Chapter, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rim
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D019371:Topography, Medical
keywords: Kome Island (Victoria Lake); Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax; Tanzania; high prevalence; malaria; schoolchildren