Project Materials

ASSESSMENT OF MALARIA AND TYPHOID COINFECTION AMONG INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING TELA PHCC IN GASSOL LGA TARABA STATE

ABSTRACT

The overall goal of this study is to offer an assessment of malaria and typhoid co-infection among persons attending Tela PHCC in Gassol LGA, Taraba State. The blood samples were collected using the venipuncture technique. A total of 250 individuals with clinical suspicion of malaria and typhoid fever were investigated, including 113 men and 137 women. Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films were utilised to identify malaria parasites in the samples. Typhoid fever was detected in each sample using Widal reagents and the cultural approach. The data from this investigation were presented using descriptive statistics. The findings were analysed using percentages and Chi-square. In conclusion, the study found that the malaria prevalence rate in PHCC Tella is significant (80.8%). Malaria and typhoid fever co-infection had the same prevalence incidence (28.0%). There was a significant difference in results between the widal test (46.8%) and blood culture (0.8%) for the diagnosis of typhoid fever. As a result, the study suggested that if typhoid fever is diagnosed using a culture method in our clinical hospital laboratories, the incidence of typhoid and malaria co-infection can be lowered significantly. This will also improve patient management by lowering treatment costs and eliminating the hazards associated with antibiotic abuse.

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study.

Malaria is an acute fever sickness caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitos. Malaria has been the subject of numerous declarations, and a variety of targets have been established since the turn of the millennium.

This is because almost half of the world’s population is at danger of malaria. (WHO, 2015). According to Ukaegbu et al. (2014), malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by five species of Plasmodium protozoan parasites: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi.

According to WHO (2011); Iwuafor et al. (2016), approximately 3.3 billion people in 97 countries and territories are at risk of contracting malaria and developing illness, with 1.2 billion at high risk. Notably, P. falciparum causes nearly all human deaths from malaria, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.

Malaria was predicted to cause 198 million cases worldwide in 2013, with 584,000 fatalities, showing a 30% and 47% decline in case incidence and fatality rates since 2000, respectively (WHO, 2013 and 2014).

It is considered a disease of poverty and is recognised as a public health issue with far-reaching medical, social, and economic consequences (Isah et al., 2011).

Within endemic nations, the poorest and most marginalised communities suffer the most, with the highest malaria risks and the least access to adequate prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services (World Bank, 2014).