DYNAMICS OF MALARIA PARASITEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH FEBRILE ILLNESS IN CHILDREN FROM A RURAL AREA OF MADANG, PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

Abstract

Active community and self-reporting surveillance techniques have been used to describe the dynamics of febrile illness and associated malaria infection in children aged 2 to 15 years from a rural area of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Both history of fever and fever in association with parasitaemia appeared to be reliable indicators of malaria morbidity in this endemic area. Parasite density was observed to be a major determinant of mild malarial disease at both the population level and within an individual. Age-specific prevalence of febrile illness correlated with age-specific patterns of parasite density but not of parasite prevalence. Seasonal changes in fever incidence correla..