Epidemiology Survey of Malaria Infection Among Patients Attending General Out-Patient Department of Borno State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri, Borno State.

¹A.A.G. Benisheikh, ²A.A. Biu, ³A.U Awana ⁴B.B. Shehu ⁵Isiaka M. Tom

¹Biotechnology Centre, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

²Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

³University of Maiduguri, Medical Centre, Pharmacy Unit, Borno State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

E-mail: abbaganabenisheikhali@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study of Epidemiological survey of Malaria infection among patients attending General out-patient Department of Borno State Specialist Hospital was carried out among children. Variables assessed were thick blood film for malaria parasites, PCV, age and sex respectively. PCV was assessed using AB Jovan microhaematocrit centrifuge. Anaemia was defined as PCV less than 3%, the range of PCV values 25-29% was considered mild, 20-24% moderate while less than 29% was considered severe anaemia. A total of 211 patients were surveyed comprising 118 (55.9%) males and 73 (44.10%) females, one hundred and twenty two 122 (57.8%) of the study population were pre-school children and 89 (42.2%) infants. One hundred and thirty 130 (61.6%) of the children had malaria parasite in their blood film. Malaria infection of these (35.1%) were males while 56 (26.5%) were females but the difference was not found to be statistically significant (P>0.005). infection rate was higher among the pre-school children 32 (38.8%), than the infants 48 (22.8%) and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P>0.005). the study indicated a strong correlation between age, anaemia and prevalence of malaria parasites.