Trend Analysis Of Malaria Prevalence In Atat Hospital, South Central Ethiopi

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasites in the genus Plasmodium. Human malaria is usually caused by four different species; Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodiummalariae, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and occasionally Plasmodium knowlesi. The malaria parasite is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are blood sucking mainly between dusk and dawn. Ethiopia is one of the malaria endemic countries with an average 60% P. falciparum and 40% P. vivax prevalence during peak malaria transmission time. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of malaria among patients examined and confirmed to have Plasmodium infection at Atat Hospital in the past five consecutive years, 2008 -2012 E.CMETHOD: The study was conducted at Atat Hospital from February 10/6/2012 to march 12/7/2012 E.C and November 28/3/2013 to December 15 in 2013 E.C. Cross-sectional retrospective record review method was implemented to obtain data from the five consecutive year reports.RESULT: Retrospective cross-sectional surveys were conducted and 23,452 records were reviewed in Atat Hospital laboratories room from February 10/6/2012 to march 12/7/2012 E.Cand November 28/3/2013 E.C, to December 15/4/ 2013 E.C. To determine the trend prevalence of malaria, A total of 2,764(11.7%) positive case records were viewed from the laboratory registration log books. From the total of 2,764 infected individuals 1559(56.4%) were male and 1205(43.6%) were female. The most dominant plasmodium species was Plasmodium vivax and there were no infection with Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malarea and Plasmodium knowlesi in all five years. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: There is still need for active health education campaigns and the administration of vector control interventions such as the consistent deployment of insecticide-treated bed-nets(ITN) and indoor residual spraying to interrupt disease transmission and an eventual reduction in the number of malaria cases