%0 Journal Article
%T Malariometric Indices among Nigerian Children in a Rural Setting
%A Ekong E. Udoh
%A Angela E. Oyo-ita
%A Friday A. Odey
%A Komomo I. Eyong
%A Chioma M. Oringanje
%A Olabisi A. Oduwole
%A Joseph U. Okebe
%A Ekpereonne B. Esu
%A Martin M. Meremikwu
%A Asindi A. Asindi
%J Malaria Research and Treatment
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/716805
%X Malaria contributes to high childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. To determine its endemicity in a rural farming community in the south-south of Nigeria, the following malariometric indices, namely, malaria parasitaemia, spleen rates, and anaemia were evaluated in children aged 2¨C10 years. This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey among school-age children residing in a rubber plantation settlement. The children were selected from six primary schools using a multistaged stratified cluster sampling technique. They were all examined for pallor, enlarged spleen, or liver among other clinical parameters and had blood films for malaria parasites. Of the 461 children recruited, 329 (71.4%) had malaria parasites. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia was slightly higher in the under fives than that of those ¡Ý5 years, 76.2% and 70.3%, respectively. Splenic enlargement was present in 133 children (28.9%). The overall prevalence of anaemia was 35.7%. Anaemia was more common in the under-fives (48.8%) than in those ¡Ý5 years (32.8%). The odds of anaemia in the under fives were significantly higher than the odds of those ¡Ý5 years ( [1.19¨C3.18]). Malaria is highly endemic in this farming community and calls for intensification of control interventions in the area with special attention to school-age children. 1. Introduction Malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa with the greatest risk seen in children under the age of five, pregnant women, and people living with HIV/AIDS [1, 2]. About 50% of Nigerians are estimated to have at least one episode of the disease each year with over 200,000 deaths in children annually [3]. Estimates of malaria burden are based on malariometric indices like prevalence of malaria parasitaemia, spleen rate, and anaemia in defined risk groups [2]. School-age children are vulnerable to the disease and have been studied over the years to determine malaria burden at community levels using these malariometric indices [4]. An understanding of the malaria burden in a given setting is important for health planning, policy development, and control interventions. This study aimed at determining the malaria burden at Ikot-Omin, a rural rubber plantation settlement, using malaria parasitaemia, spleen rate and anaemia as malariometric indices. 2. Methods As part of site preparation for the setting up of a sentinel site for monitoring antimalarial efficacy and drug resistance [5], we conducted a cross-sectional study in Ikot-Omin; a suburb of Calabar in Cross River state, Southern Nigeria. The area is a
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mrt/2013/716805/