Malaria parasite distribution and knowledge among students of Federal University Of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria remains a major challenging infectious disease across the globe particularly in sub-Sahara Africa and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Management strategy depends majorly on reliable epidemiological information. Thus, this study is to investigate the malaria parasite distribution and knowledge among students of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Blood samples were obtained from volunteered subjects. Thick and thin blood films stained with Giemsa were prepared and viewed under the x100 objective lens of the light microscope to determine the presence or absence of malaria parasite. A well-structured questionnaire was employed to collect relevant epidemiological information such as demographic, socioeconomic, environmental variables and their knowledge regarding malaria. Of the total 203 participants examined, three-quarter (84.20 %) tested positive to malaria infection, while 80.30 % had moderate parasitaemia level. All the participants (100.00 %)  identified mosquito as the malaria parasite vector. Age group (χ2 = 11.88, p = 0.01), marital status (χ² = 21.81, p = 0.01), income (χ² = 27.52, p = 0.01) and environmental sanitation (χ² = 6.25, p = 0.04) were predisposing factors (p<0.05) associated with malaria infection among participants.  Meanwhile, female participants are 0.92 times (CI: 0.42 - 2.02) less prone to malaria infection compare to male and monthly environmental sanitation was 3.62 times (CI: 1.21 - 10.87) prone to malaria infection than those who observed environmental sanitation weekly. The present study has revealed high prevalence of malaria infection among the students. School management and government should implement malaria control strategies among tertiary students.

Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum, Malaria, Parasitaemia, Knowledge, Predisposing factors