Molecular Characterisation of Plasmodium species in Children Attending 9 Brigade Hospitals, Ikeja Military Cantonment, Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria has remained the most burdened malaria-endemic nation in the world despite the vast resources committed. This study was conducted to characterise Plasmodium species infecting children attending the Ikeja Military Cantonment Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. A total of 450 (350 symptomatic and 100 asymptomatic) blood samples from children aged 0 to 15 years, comprising 219 females and 231 males, were analysed by microscopy, Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The overall prevalence rates of malaria infection by microscopy, RDTs, and PCR were 18.9%, 17.1%, and 20.4%, respectively. The prevalence of Plasmodium species infections by microscopy, RDTs, and PCR was 19.7%, 18.3%, and 20.3% in symptomatic children and 16.0%, 13.0%, and 21.0% in asymptomatic children, respectively. Among the positive subjects using RDT, microscopy, and PCR, 10.0%, 10.7%, and 10.7% were male, while 7.1%, 8.2%, and 9.7% were female, respectively. Regarding age, the prevalence of malaria was 6.7%, 4.4%, and 7.8% using microscopy, RDT was 5.3%, 4.9%, and 6.9%, while PCR was 7.1%, 5.1%, and 8.2% at 0–5, 6–10, and 11–15 years, respectively. Furthermore, 24.7%, 41.2%, and 34.1% of the subjects had parasite density counts of less than 5000/µl, 5000–10000/µl and greater than 10,000/µL, respectively. Using PCR, in symptomatic subjects, 13.7% were infected with P. falciparum, while 2.0% were infected with P. malariae, while in asymptomatic subjects, 4.4% and 0.2% were infected with P. falciparum and P. malariae, respectively. Therefore, continuous systematic school-based interventions are required.