Epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum in Dera Ismail Khan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Author(s): Nadir Akhtar, Abdus Sami, Faisal Saeed, Hafiz Faizan Saleem, Sikander Sher, Muhammad Azaz Ali Khan, Saqib Muhammad, Muhammad Omer

Objective: The primary goal of the current study was to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria parasite, in Dera Ismail Khan.

Methodology: Various factors about the study's respondents (n=200) were examined in the current study. The patient's age, job, degree of education, hospital visit history, malaria treatment history, use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), surrounding area cleanliness, and whether or not they had been sprayed with insecticides were considered. The research study was conducted using a questionnaire and basic microscopic analysis to determine the illness index.

Results: Based on the findings, microscopy was used to test 200 patients (n=200) for P. falciparum malaria. Although 85 percent of the patients tested positive for falciparum malaria (170 out of 200). Out of 170 participants, 114 (or 67% of the total) were men and 56 (or 33% of the total) were women. Laborers made up 29.4 percent of the plasmodium-affected workforce. Although over 70% of those afflicted with malaria had received treatment, just 15.29% made it to the clinic. Furthermore, a scant 12.94% of the respondents reported using LLINs, while just 2.35% of them had employed insecticidal spray.

Conclusion: According to this study, malaria is a public health concern in D.I. Khan and successful management of the illness depends on quick diagnosis and suitable treatment. Diverse climates in different provinces and towns affect the frequency of malaria.