%0 Journal Article
%T Prevalence of non-falciparum malaria infections among asymptomatic individuals in four regions of Mainland Tanzania.
%A Popkin-Hall ZR
%A Seth MD
%A Madebe RA
%A Budodo R
%A Bakari C
%A Francis F
%A Pereus D
%A Giesbrecht DJ
%A Mandara CI
%A Mbwambo D
%A Aaron S
%A Lusasi A
%A Lazaro S
%A Bailey JA
%A Juliano JJ
%A Gutman JR
%A Ishengoma DS
%J Parasit Vectors
%V 17
%N 1
%D 2024 Mar 23
%M 38519992
%F 4.047
%R 10.1186/s13071-024-06242-4
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Recent studies point to the need to incorporate the detection of non-falciparum species into malaria surveillance activities in sub-Saharan Africa, where 95% of the world's malaria cases occur. Although malaria caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum is typically more severe than malaria caused by the non-falciparum Plasmodium species P. malariae, P. ovale spp. and P. vivax, the latter may be more challenging to diagnose, treat, control and ultimately eliminate. The prevalence of non-falciparum species throughout sub-Saharan Africa is poorly defined. Tanzania has geographical heterogeneity in transmission levels but an overall high malaria burden.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>To estimate the prevalence of malaria species in Mainland Tanzania, we randomly selected 1428 samples from 6005 asymptomatic isolates collected in previous cross-sectional community surveys across four regions and analyzed these by quantitative PCR to detect and identify the Plasmodium species.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Plasmodium falciparum was the most prevalent species in all samples, with P. malariae and P. ovale spp. detected at a lower prevalence (< 5%) in all four regions; P. vivax was not detected in any sample.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The results of this study indicate that malaria elimination efforts in Tanzania will need to account for and enhance surveillance of these non-falciparum species.