Risk factors for Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte positivity in a longitudinal cohort.

Grange, Laura
Loucoubar, Cheikh
Telle, Olivier
Tall, Adama
Faye, Joseph
Sokhna, Cheikh
Trape, Jean-François
Sakuntabhai, Anavaj
Bureau, Jean-François
Paul, Richard

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Publication date

April 2015

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0123102

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Abstract

International audienceMalaria transmission intensity is highly heterogeneous even at a very small scale. Implementing targeted intervention in malaria transmission hotspots offers the potential to reduce the burden of disease both locally and in adjacent areas. Transmission of malaria parasites from man to mosquito requires the production of gametocyte stage parasites. Cluster analysis of a 19-year long cohort study for gametocyte carriage revealed spatially defined gametocyte hotspots that occurred during the time when chloroquine was the drug used for clinical case treatment. In addition to known risk factors for gametocyte carriage, notably young age (<15 years old) and associated with a clinical episode, blood groups B and O increased r...