Mohammad Iqbal Yasinzai, Juma Khan Kakarsulemankhel.
Incidence of human malaria infection in Barkhan and Kohlu, bordering areas of East Balochistan.
Pak J Med Sci Jan ;24(2):306-10.

Objective: To determine the incidence of malarial parasites in human population of Barkhan and Kohlu areas of Pakistan. Methodology: Malarial parasites were identified in the blood slides of suspected patients of the disease from July 2004 to June 2006 and encompassed 3340 subjects. Results: Out of 3340 suspected cases of malaria, 1095 (32.78%) were found to be positive for malarial parasite in blood smear slides. Out of positive cases, 579 (52.87%) were identified as Plasmodium falciparum infection and 516 (47.12%) cases with P. vivax. There was no case of Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale infection observed in the present study. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of 52.87% (579/1095) of P. falciparum poses a significant health hazard because not only P. falciparum infection but infection with P. vivax 47.12% (516/1095) may also lead to serious complications like cerebral malaria. Infection with P. falciparum was found to be more prevalent in Barkhan and Kohlu area. It seems that there is no association between types of infection and age groups.

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