The scope of this study is to identify the malaria vector in three towns
in the region of Kordofan, namely Elobeid, Alfula and Kadugli, to
measure the level of parasite density, to detect if there is antisulphadoxine
resistance gene activities in the parasite and to assess
the knowledge, attitude and practices towards transmission, treatment
and prevention of malaria among the population.
Methods
The samples of Anopheles arabiensis vector were collected during the
period 2008-2011 and mosquito samples were identified
morphologically and genetically. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
technique was used to amplify mosquito DNA using specific 28S
ribosomal primers to identify Anopheles arabiensis.
A parasitological survey was carried out in Elobeid town by
using thick and thin blood smears from 100 patients to detect
the parasite microscopically and the Parasitemia level was
calculated. Blood samples from 200 patients were collected on
filter paper and Plasmodium species was determined by nested
PCR amplification of small sub-unit ribosomal RNA gene
(ssrRNA) using the primers.
PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP)
were performed to detect the drug resistance of
Please purchase PDFcamp Printer on http://www.verypdf.com/ to remove this watermark.vi
Plasmodium falciparum to Sulphadoxine pyrimethamine
associated point mutations on pfdhfr and pfdhps genes.
A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted for data
collection and relevant data on demographic, house characteristics,
sources of water, knowledge about malaria and its vector and
practices and management were analyzed using SPSS.
Results
The results showed that Anopheles arabiensis was the main vector of
malaria in Kordofan region while Plasmodium falciparum was the
dominant parasite. The parasitemia is high among the population
studied in Elobeid (10000 parasite/µl).
The prevalence of malaria
vector in the study sites was associated with rainy season, however,
there was malaria incidences during the dry season. Detection of
resistance genes (Dhfr and dhps) to SP gave negative results.
Analysis of the questionnaire data indicated that malaria is an
important public health problem in Kordofan (88.2%) had malaria
during the year 2009 and that the studied community knowledge
about its transmission, signs and symptoms, treatment and preventive
measures is high. There was significant correlation between the
respondents' education level and occupation, language and marital
status with the repeated symptoms of malaria. The establishment of
Anopheles species inside houses was related to the type of houses
construction and location of the houses relative to the locally
important breeding sites and water storage in houses was the main
Please purchase PDFcamp Printer on http://www.verypdf.com/ to remove this watermark.vii
reason for the presence of the vector during the dry season. Bed nets
are used for protection and no regular insecticide spraying was done
in the studied area.
Conclusion
More investigation is needed in the area of possible artificial breeding sites
of Anopheles arabiensis as well as research on the Plasmodium falciparum
resistance genes to Sulphadoxine pyrimethamine. There is also a need for
future studies to follow up patients with repeated malaria occurrence in less
than two weeks.