Prevalence of malaria among patients attending public health facilities in Maputo City, Mozambique

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2011 Dec;85(6):1002-7. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.11-0365.

Abstract

We conducted a health facility-based survey to estimate the prevalence of malaria among febrile patients at health facilities (HFs) in Maputo City. Patients answered a questionnaire on malaria risk factors and underwent malaria testing. A malaria case was defined as a positive result for malaria by microscopy in a patient with fever or history of fever in the previous 24 hours. Among 706 patients with complete information, 111 (15.7%) cases were identified: 105 were positive for Plasmodium falciparum only, two for Plasmodium ovale only, and four for both P. falciparum and P. ovale. Fever documented at study enrollment, age ≥ 5 years, rural HF, and travel outside Maputo City were statistically significantly associated with malaria by multivariate analysis. We found a high prevalence of laboratory-confirmed malaria among febrile patients in Maputo City. Further studies are needed to relate these findings with mosquito density to better support malaria prevention and control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Health Facilities / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Malaria / epidemiology*
  • Malaria / parasitology
  • Malaria / prevention & control
  • Malaria, Falciparum / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mosquito Nets
  • Mozambique / epidemiology
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Plasmodium falciparum*
  • Plasmodium ovale
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Rural Population / statistics & numerical data
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult