Journal of Mosquito Research 2015, Vol.5, No.16, 1-4
1
A Letter Open Access
Prevalence of Malaria Amongst Children 0 - 4 Years in Olugbo, Odeda Local
Government, Ogun State, Nigeria
Ogundeyi S. B.
1
, Idowu O.A.
2
, Fadairo J.K.
3
, Daniels A.O.
1
1. Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria
2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
3. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria
Corresponding author email
Journal of Mosquito Research, 2015, Vol.5, No.16 doi: 10.5376/jmr.2015.05.0016
Received: 24 Jun., 2015
Accepted: 25 Jul., 2015
Published: 10 Sep., 2015
Copyright
©
2015 Ogundeyi., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article:
Ogundeyi S. B., Idowu O.A., Fadairo J.K.and Daniels A.O., 2015, Prevalence of Malaria Amongst Children 0 - 4 Years in Olugbo, Odeda Local Government,
Ogun State, Nigeria, Journal of Mosquito Research, Vol.5, No.16 1
-
4
(doi
Abstract
Malaria remains the most important cause of childhood mortality and morbidity and accounted for 63.4% of all reported
diseases in Nigeria. The present study is aimed at determining in the prevalence of malaria amongst children 0 - 4 years in Olugbo,
Odeda Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. Olugbo, the study area is a rural community that consists of fifteen (15) adjoining
rural villages, Obosokoto, Idi-obi, Eleta, Aralamo, Akide, Yakoyo, Ogbonsode, Olugbo, Alagbayun, Ilafi, Iyanbu, Koku, Gbagura,
Aariku, Idi-omo, villages. A total of two hundred children 0- 48 months were recruited for the purpose of this study. Two millilitres
of blood samples were collected by vernipunture. The blood samples were then preserved with an ice pack in a cold box before
examination and was analysed using the Quantitative Buffy Coat analyser. The overall prevalence of malaria infection in the present
study is 63.0%. The prevalence of infection across the age group is 37.74%, 77.63%, 76.74% and 50.0% for children aged 0-12,13-
24, 25-36 and 37-48 months respectively. A significant difference (p< 0.05) exists between malaria infections across the age group of
the children enrolled into the study. Free malaria diagnosis and treatment is recommended for children under five years of age.
Keywords
Malaria; Children; Prevalence; Morbidity; Ogun State; Nigeria
Introduction
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a one-cell
parasite of the genus
Plasmodium,
transmitted from
person to person mainly through a bite of a female
Anopheles mosquito, which requires blood meal to
nurture her eggs (WHO, 1997). The female Anopheles
mosquito is the vector for human malaria and bites
man mostly from 5 pm to 7 am, with maximum
intensity between 10 pm and 4 am. This provides the
basis for the use of mosquito bed net/insecticide
treated nets (ITNs), when at sleep and when mosquito
is most active (Afari, E.A; Appawu, A; Dunyo, S;
Baffoe-Wilmot, A; Nkrumah, F.K., 1995).
There are four species of the human malaria parasites
responsible for human malaria. These are
Plasmodium
falciparum, P.ovale P.malariae and P.vivax
. Of the
four species,
Plasmodium falciparum
is the most
virulent and the most common in Africa particularly
sub-Saharan Africa accounting in large part for
extremely high mortality in this region (WHO, 1987).
The transmission of the
Plasmodia
is facilitated
through the bite of the vector, the female
Anopheles
mosquitoes.
Anopheles gambiae
is the most efficient vector of
Plasmodium
in Africa and it has been estimated that a
single female
Anopheles
mosquito in every six houses
is sufficient to maintain transmission in a community
(Lines, 1996). The clinical features of a malarial
attack or paroxysm consist of shaking chills, fever (up
to 38
0
C or higher) and generalized weakness followed
by a resolution of fever. The paroxysm occurs over 6
to 10hours and is initiated by the synchronous rupture
of erythrocytes with the release of new infectious
blood stage forms known as merozoites (Miller et al.,
1976).
The main symptom of malaria is fever. Depending on
factors including level of immunity, species of parasite,
and access to appropriate treatment, some cases
develop severe disease and complications and many of
these without appropriate treatment result in death
(Waller et.al., 1991). In Nigeria, malaria is a major
cause of morbidity and mortality. It is endemic
