Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Plasmodiumspecies are the causative agents of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and malaria respectively with similar clinical presentations. The objective of this study is to determine the burden of co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and malaria in the general population. Five (5 mLs) of blood samples were collected for SARS-CoV-2 and malaria parasite test. The malaria test was performed using a commercially available one-step malaria antigen Plasmodiumfalciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (Pf HRP-II) rapid test kit. The results of the study showed that the participants that were coinfected with SARS-CoV-2 IgG and malaria were 13 (2.5%) in Lagos, 1114 (39.1%) in Delta and 49 (2.3%) in Sokoto States. The prevalence of coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and malaria in urban areas in Lagos, Delta and Sokoto States were 7 (2.2%), 1373 (48.1%), and 5 (0.2%) respectively. In rural areas, the prevalence of coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and malaria in Lagos, Delta and Sokoto States were 6 (0.3%), 365 (12.8%), and 44 (2.1%) respectively in this study. This suggests that participants in the urban areas were more prone to co-infections than the rural areas in Lagos and Delta states, while it was otherwise in Sokoto State. In conclusion, the co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and malaria was very high in Delta State compared to the other States. It is important for clinics to screen for both diseases when patients present with symptoms of malaria. This is because the infections have similar symptoms and the public is quick to assume malaria infection without diagnosing for COVID-19 and vice versa.
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