Journal article

High Rates of Asymptomatic, Sub-microscopic Plasmodium vivax Infection and Disappearing Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in an Area of Low Transmission in Solomon Islands

A Waltmann, AW Darcy, I Harris, C Koepfli, J Lodo, V Vahi, D Piziki, GD Shanks, AE Barry, M Whittaker, JW Kazura, I Mueller

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases | Published : 2015

Abstract

Solomon Islands is intensifying national efforts to achieve malaria elimination. A long history of indoor spraying with residual insecticides, combined recently with distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets and artemether-lumefantrine therapy, has been implemented in Solomon Islands. The impact of these interventions on local endemicity of Plasmodium spp. is unknown. In 2012, a cross-sectional survey of 3501 residents of all ages was conducted in Ngella, Central Islands Province, Solomon Islands. Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae was assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and light microscopy (LM). Presence of gametocytes was determined by reverse tra..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases


Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the TransEPI consortium funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates, the National health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC, #1021544) and the Southwest Pacific International Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research (NIH grant U19AI089686 "Research to control and eliminate malaria in the Southwest Pacific"). This work was made possible through Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support and Australian Government NHMRC IRIISS. IM is supported by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (#1043345) and AW is supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship (#APP1056511). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.