scholarly journals Antigenicity and immune correlate assessment of seven Plasmodium falciparum antigens in a longitudinal infant cohort from northern Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi ◽  
Joao Aguiar ◽  
Selassie Kumordjie ◽  
Felix Aggor ◽  
Jessica Bolton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Immune Correlate

scholarly journals Large-Scale Surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum crt(K76T) in Northern Ghana

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 3407-3409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Ehrhardt ◽  
Teunis A. Eggelte ◽  
Sarah Kaiser ◽  
Lydia Adjei ◽  
Gerd D. Burchard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Combination Therapy ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Artemisinin Combination Therapy ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Chloroquine Resistance ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Resistance Marker

ABSTRACT Surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum crt(K76T) [Pfcrt(K76T)], a resistance marker of chloroquine and, limitedly, amodiaquine, in >4,000 children in northern Ghana revealed a prevalence of 79%. Pfcrt(K76T) was heterogeneously distributed and associated with chloroquine use, low parasitemia, and the dry season. Widespread chloroquine resistance challenges the regional life span of amodiaquine as a partner drug in artemisinin combination therapy.

scholarly journals Impact of an Irrigation Dam on the Transmission and Diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in a Seasonal Malaria Transmission Area of Northern Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Kyei-Baafour ◽  
Bernard Tornyigah ◽  
Benjamin Buade ◽  
Langbong Bimi ◽  
Abraham R. Oduro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Transmission ◽  
Parasite Density ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Transmission Area ◽  
Dam Site

Water bodies such as dams are known to alter the local transmission patterns of a number of infectious diseases, especially those transmitted by insects and other arthropod vectors. The impact of an irrigation dam on submicroscopic asexual parasite carriage in individuals living in a seasonal malaria transmission area of northern Ghana was investigated. A total of 288 archived DNA samples from two cross-sectional surveys in two communities in the Bongo District of Northern Ghana were analysed. Parasite density was determined by light microscopy and PCR, and parasite diversity was assessed by genotyping of the polymorphic Plasmodium falciparum msp2 block-3 region. Submicroscopic parasitaemia was estimated as the proportional difference between positive samples identified by PCR and microscopy. Dry season submicroscopic parasite prevalence was significantly higher (71.0%, p=0.013) at the dam site compared with the nondam site (49.2%). Similarly, wet season submicroscopic parasite prevalence was significantly higher at the dam site (54.5%, p=0.008) compared with the nondam site (33.0%). There was no difference in parasite density between sites in the dry season (p=0.90) and in the wet season (p=0.85). Multiplicity of infection (MOI) based on PCR data was significantly higher at the dam site compared with the nondam site during the dry season (p<0.0001) but similar between sites during the wet season. MOI at the nondam site was significantly higher in the wet season than in the dry season (2.49, 1.26, p<0.0001) but similar between seasons at the dam site. Multivariate analysis showed higher odds of carrying submicroscopic parasites at the dam site in both dry season (OR = 7.46, 95% CI = 3.07–18.15) and in wet season (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.04–2.86). The study findings suggest that large water bodies impact year-round carriage of submicroscopic parasites and sustain Plasmodium transmission.

scholarly journals Infection of Plasmodium falciparum and helminths among school children in communities in Southern and Northern Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Akosah-Brempong ◽  
S. K. Attah ◽  
I. A. Hinne ◽  
A. Abdulai ◽  
K. Addo-Osafo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
School Children ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Malaria Vector Control ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Concentration Technique

Abstract Background Infections of Plasmodium species, Schistosoma species and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) inflict a significant burden on children mostly in deprived communities in Ghana. Despite the deployment of malaria vector control and the annual Mass Drug Administration by National Control Programmes, these infections still pose major public health concerns in Ghana. Some remote communities which are hard-to-reach are not covered by MDA campaigns which is a major challenge to meeting elimination targets. Adequate data is necessary for formulating policies and strengthening interventions to mitigate transmission. This study assessed the infection burden of Plasmodium, Schistosoma species and STH infections among school children in communities in Southern and Northern Ghana. Method School children living in communities in Southern (Ada Foah, Pediatorkope, Tuanikope) and Northern (Kpalsogu) Ghana were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. A total of 493 (241 males and 252 females) school children aged (2–15 years) were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were collected to screen for Schistosoma mansoni and STH infections using the formol-ether concentration technique and urine samples were also collected to screen for S. haematobium using the routine urine examination method. Plasmodium parasitaemia was determined from thick and thin finger-prick blood samples. Results Overall, the prevalence of P. falciparum, S. mansoni, S. haematobium, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections were 17.2% (95%CI 12.8–19.7), 22.6% (95%CI 25.2–32.7), 1.6% (95%CI 0.89–5.2), 1.2% (95%CI 0.78–4.8) and 1.2% (95%CI 0.78–4.8) respectively. Plasmodium falciparum infection was generally widespread in all the study sites with Ada Foah recording the highest prevalence (35.3%) and Kpalsogu recording the lowest (5.8%). Schistosoma mansoni was present in only two Southern communities with Tuanikope recording the highest prevalence of 70.3% as against 51.5% recorded in Pediatorkope. A total of 4.5% (95% CI 2.82–10.8) of the children were co-infected with P. falciparum, Schistosoma species and STHs. This occurred only in the Southern communities; of which combination of P. falciparum and S. mansoni were predominant (1.4%). Conclusion A relatively low burden of parasites co-infection among children only in the Southern communities was detected. However, there were a high prevalence of single infections of P. falciparum and S. mansoni in those communities. Control measures for the helminths needs to be restarted in the island communities with a high burden of S. mansoni infections and that of Plasmodium needs to be scaled up in Ada Foah where P. falciparum infections were high.

scholarly journals Assessment of antimalarial drug resistant markers in asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections after 4 years of indoor residual spraying in Northern Ghana

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0233478
Author(s):  
James L. Myers-Hansen ◽  
Benjamin Abuaku ◽  
Muyiwa K. Oyebola ◽  
Benedicta A. Mensah ◽  
Collins Ahorlu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Artemisinin Combination Therapy ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Gene Mutations ◽  
Indoor Residual Spraying ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Control Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional

Background Drug resistance remains a concern for malaria control and elimination. The effect of interventions on its prevalence needs to be monitored to pre-empt further selection. We assessed the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum gene mutations associated with resistance to the antimalarial drugs: sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), chloroquine (CQ) and artemisinin combination therapy (ACTs) after the scale-up of a vector control activity that reduced transmission. Methods A total of 400 P. falciparum isolates from children under five years were genotyped for seventeen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pfcrt, pfmdr1, pfdhfr, pfdhps and pfk13 genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. These included 80 isolates, each randomly selected from cross-sectional surveys of asymptomatic infections across 2010 (baseline), 2011, 2012, 2013 (midline: post-IRS) and 2014 (endline: post-IRS) during the peak transmission season, when IRS intervention was rolled out in Bunkpurugu Yunyoo (BY) District, Ghana. The proportions of isolates with drug resistant alleles were assessed over this period. Results There were significant decreases in the prevalence of pfdhfr- I51R59N108 haplotype from 2010 to 2014, while the decline in pfdhfr/pfdhps- I51R59N108G437 during the same period was not significant. The prevalence of lumefantrine (LM), mefloquine (MQ) and amodiaquine (AQ) resistance-associated haplotypes pfmdr1-N86F184D1246 and pfmdr1-Y86Y184Y1246 showed decreasing trends (z = -2.86, P = 0.004 and z = -2.71, P = 0.007, respectively). Each of pfcrt-T76 and pfmdr1-Y86 mutant alleles also showed a declining trend in the asymptomatic reservoir, after the IRS rollout in 2014 (z = -2.87, P = 0.004 and z = -2.65, P = 0.008, respectively). Similarly, Pyrimethamine resistance mediating polymorphisms pfdhfr-N108, pfdhfr-I51 and pfdhfr-R59 also declined (z = -2.03, P = 0.042, z = -3.54, P<0.001 and z = -4.63, P<0.001, respectively), but not the sulphadoxine resistance mediating pfdhps-G437 and pfdhps-F436 (z = -0.36, P = 0.715 and z = 0.41, P = 0.684, respectively). No mutant pfk13-Y580 were detected during the study period. Conclusion The study demonstrated declining trends in the prevalence of drug resistant mutations in asymptomatic P. falciparum infections following transmission reduction after an enhanced IRS intervention in Northern Ghana.

Age and seasonal variation in the transition rates and detectability of Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Parasitology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. SAMA ◽  
S. OWUSU-AGYEI ◽  
I. FELGER ◽  
K. DIETZ ◽  
T. SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Acquired Immunity ◽  
Age Dependence ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Age Variation ◽  
Best Fitting

The effect of acquired immunity on the duration of Plasmodium falciparum infections is unclear, although this is an important term in models of malaria transmission. It is problematical to determine the duration of infections because of the difficulty of distinguishing persisting infections from new ones, and because parasite densities are often transiently below the limit of detection. We recently developed a dynamic model for infection incidence, clearance and detection of multiple genotype P. falciparum infections and fitted it to a panel dataset from a longitudinal study in Northern Ghana. We now extend this model to allow for seasonal and age variation in infection rates and also age dependence in clearance and in detectability of infections. These models indicate that there is seasonal variation in the infection rate, and age dependence in detectability. The best fitting models had no age dependence in infection or clearance rates, suggesting that acquired immunity mainly affects detectability.

Co-Infection of Plasmodium Falciparum and Helminths Among School Children in Communities in Southern and Northern Ghana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Akosah-Brempong ◽  
Simon Kwaku Attah ◽  
Isaac Amankona Hinne ◽  
Kantanka Addo-Osafo ◽  
Edith Appiah Lawson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
School Children ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Malaria Vector Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Concentration Technique ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract BackgroundInfections of Plasmodium species, Schistosoma species and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) inflict a significant burden on children mostly in deprived communities in Ghana. Despite the deployment of malaria vector control and the annual Mass Drug Administration by National Control Programmes, these infections still pose major public health concerns in Ghana. Adequate data is necessary for formulating policies and strengthening interventions to mitigate transmission. This study assessed the co-infection burden of Plasmodium, Schistosoma species and STH infections among school children in communities in Southern and Northern Ghana.MethodSchool children living in communities in Southern (Ada Foah, Pediatorkope, Tuanikope and Northern (Kpalsogu) Ghana were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. A total of 493 (241 males and 252 females) school children aged (2–15 years) were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were collected to screen for Schistosoma mansoni and STH infections using the formol-ether concentration technique and urine samples were also collected to screen for S. haematobium using the routine urine examination method. Plasmodium parasitaemia was determined from thick and thin finger-prick blood samples.ResultsOverall, the prevalence of P. falciparum, S. mansoni, S. haematobium, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections were 17.2% (95%CI, 12.8–19.7), 22.6% (95%CI, 25.2–32.7), 1.6% (95%CI, 0.89–5.2), 1.2% (95%CI, 0.78–4.8) and 1.2% (95%CI, 0.78–4.8) respectively. Plasmodium falciparum infection was generally widespread in all the study sites with Anyarpkor recording the highest prevalence (35.3%) and Kpalsogu recording the lowest (5.8%). Schistosoma mansoni was present in only two Southern communities with Tuanikope recording the highest prevalence of 70.3% as against 51.5% recorded in Pediatorkope. A total of 4.5% (95% CI, 2.82–10.8) of the children were co-infected with P. falciparum, Schistosoma species and STHs. This occurred only in the Southern communities; of which combination of P. falciparum and S. mansoni were predominant (1.4%).ConclusionA relatively low burden of parasites co-infection among children only in the Southern communities was detected. However, there were a high prevalence of single infections of P. falciparum and S. mansoni in those communities. Control measures are needed in the island communities with a high burden of S. mansoni infections and Ada Foah where P. falciparum infections are high.

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