PREVALENCE OF MALARIA PARASITE INFECTION AMONG SELECTED COMMUNITIES LIVING AROUND NEW MILLENNIUM CITY, KADUNA

Abstract

 Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium transmitted by female anopheles. Malaria affects 3.3 billion people or half of the world population in 106 countries and territories. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of malaria infection among selected communities living around new millennium city of Kaduna, Nigeria. Blood samples obtained by vein puncture of 132 patients who attended Danhonou Community Health facility New Millennium city Kaduna; were collected and analyzed microscopically using X100 light microcope for malaria parasite infection between October 2015 to January 2016. 64.39% of the patients examined were positive for malaria parasite infection. Among patients from the four communities, Danbushiya community showed a significantly higher prevalence of 88.10% (P<0.05). With regards to age groups, high prevalence of malaria was encountered in children 0 – 10 years (81.82%) (P<0.05). The male gender prevalence of malaria parasite infection was 67.65% and not significantly different from females (60.93%) (P>0.05). The study showed that there is higher prevalence of malaria parasite infection in the month of October (84.85%). There was significant association between month of study and prevalence of malaria parasite infection (P<0.05). The study therefore, reports for the first time the prevalence of malaria parasite infection among the four selected communities and recommend proper sanitation and removal of possible breeding sites of the vectors to reduce the prevalence of the disease.