%0 Journal Article
%T Prevalence of Malaria from Blood Smears Examination: A Seven-Year Retrospective Study from Metema Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
%A Getachew Ferede
%A Abiyu Worku
%A Alemtegna Getaneh
%A Ali Ahmed
%A Tarekegn Haile
%A Yenus Abdu
%A Belay Tessema
%A Yitayih Wondimeneh
%A Abebe Alemu
%J Malaria Research and Treatment
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/704730
%X Background. Malaria is a major public health problem in Ethiopia where an estimated 68% of the population lives in malarious areas. Studying its prevalence is necessary to implement effective control measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine seven-year slide positive rate of malaria. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted at Metema Hospital from September 2006 to August 2012. Seven-year malaria cases data had been collected from laboratory registration book. Results. A total of 55,833 patients were examined for malaria; of these, 9486 (17%) study subjects were positive for malaria. The predominant Plasmodium species detected was P. falciparum (8602) (90.7%) followed by P. vivax (852) (9%). A slide positive rate of malaria within the last seven years (2006每2012) was almost constant with slight fluctuation. The age groups of 5每14 years old were highly affected by malariainfection (1375) (20.1%), followed by 15每29ˋyears old (3986) (18.5%). High slide positive rate of malaria occurred during spring (September每November), followed by summer (June每August). Conclusion. Slide positive rate of malaria was high in study area. Therefore, health planners and administrators should give intensive health education for the community. 1. Background Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite called Plasmodium. It is a leading public health problem in Ethiopia where an estimated 68% of the population lives in malarious areas and three-quarters of the total land mass is regarded as malarious [1] with two-thirds of the country＊s population at risk [2]. This makes malaria the number one health problem in Ethiopia with an average of 5 million cases per year [3]. The disease causes 70,000 deaths each year and accounts for 17% of outpatient visits to health institutions [4]. Four main species of malaria infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax. P. falciparum is the most highly virulent species and is responsible for almost all of the 1.7每2.5 million deaths worldwide caused by malaria [5, 6]. Malaria mostly affects children under the age of 5ˋyears and pregnant women in developing countries [7]. Pregnant women are more vulnerable because they experience depressed immunity during pregnancy, endangering the lives of both mother and the child [8]. A similar problem arises with children below the age of five as their immunity systems are not yet fully developed. It is estimated that every 45 seconds a child dies of malaria worldwide [9]. Malaria is seasonal in most parts of
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mrt/2013/704730/