Malaria Journal

<p><em>Malaria Journal</em> is aimed at the scientific community interested in malaria in its broadest sense. It is the only journal that publishes exclusively articles on malaria and, as such, it aims to bring together knowledge from the different specialities involved in this very broad discipline, from the bench to the bedside and to the field.</p>

List of Papers (Total 10,197)

Urban malaria and population mobility in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis

Malaria control in African cities faces challenges mainly due to rapid and unplanned urbanization and the spread of the new urban malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi. By 2050, nearly 70% of the world`s population will live in urban areas, a significant increase from the current rate. This systematic review and meta-analysis map the epidemiology of urban malaria in sub-Saharan...

Relating household entomological measures to individual malaria risk

The gold standard measure of malaria exposure is the entomological inoculation rate (EIR), or the number of infectious bites an individual receives over a given period. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether EIR measured in the households of individuals reflects heterogeneity in those individuals’ infection risk. To investigate this relationship, this study used data collected from...

Comparative analysis of the use of Community Health Workers while deploying the Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait (ATSB) for malaria control in Western Province, Zambia

Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in malaria control efforts, yet their contributions to large-scale field trials remain understudied. This research examined the management of CHWs recruited to support a phase III trial of Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) in Western Zambia. The study aimed to understand the extent to which CHW involvement in the trial...

Resilience of long-lasting insecticidal net distribution system on the Thai-Myanmar border: pre, during, and post COVID-19 pandemic insights

To achieve the elimination goal by 2026, an effective LLIN distribution system is the essential strategy. This study aims to evaluate the outcome of LLINs distribution system tailored to COVID-19 setting in the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak Province. A retrospective mixed-methods research study was conducted with 16 staffs involved in LLIN distribution and 388 household heads from...

Community readiness and acceptance for the implementation of the malaria vaccine among caretakers of at-risk children in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Malaria remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among children under five. The introduction of the malaria vaccine presents an opportunity to reduce malaria-related deaths. However, the success of vaccination campaigns depends on community acceptance and willingness to vaccinate. This study aimed to assess the pooled acceptance and...

The burden of malaria in East Africa: prevalence, risk factors, and control strategies

Malaria continues to exert a severe toll on public health in East Africa, accounting for a large share of global morbidity and mortality. Despite national strategies and donor-funded efforts, the disease persists due to complex, intersecting biological, environmental, and socioeconomic drivers. This review aims to analyse malaria burden, identify risk factors, and assess the...

Refining malaria diagnosis in high-transmission areas: a dual-approach with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and dbPCR-NALFIA

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are an essential tool in managing febrile illnesses in endemic settings. However, persisting parasite antigen after treatment or spontaneous remission, which can be detected by histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2)-based RDT or Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH)-based RDTs, could lead to misdiagnosis. To overcome the latter, a diagnostic...

Multiple first-line therapeutic strategies to mitigate artemisinin resistance: cost analysis of a pilot study from a health system perspective in Kaya health district, Burkina Faso

The emergence of artemisinin resistance in Africa is an increasingly evident threat to malaria control and elimination, and anticipatory measures are needed. Mathematical modelling studies demonstrated that the simultaneous deployment of multiple first-line therapy (MFT) strategies delays the spread of resistance, but there is no evidence concerning the implementation of these...

Diversity of anopheline species and malaria transmission dynamics in high-altitude areas of western Cameroon

Assessing vector bionomics and their role in transmission is crucial to improving vector control strategies. Several entomological studies have been conducted to describe malaria transmission in different eco-epidemiological settings in Cameroon; however, data gaps persist, particularly in the highland areas. This study aimed to characterize malaria vectors in three localities...

Prevalence and determinants of malaria among children aged 6–59 months in Tanzania: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in children under age 5 years in Tanzania. It is more often recognized as the most serious health problem in the community by women and men in Tanzania. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and the determinants of malaria among children aged 6–59 months in Tanzania. Secondary data analysis was...

Emergence of urban malaria and the associated risk factors: a case–control study in Mutare city, Zimbabwe

Mutare city of Zimbabwe was considered free of autochthonous malaria, until 2017, when the Ministry of Health and Child Care formally confirmed escalating cases of locally transmitted malaria in the city. The current study examined the risk factors for malaria cases in the city to aid in formulation of targeted intervention packages for helping restore malaria-free status. The...

Development and application of an LC–MS/MS method for quantification of fosmidomycin in human and rat plasma

Malaria still poses a significant burden on global health, with millions of cases reported annually and rising resistance to current treatments, emphasizing the need for new therapeutic strategies. Fosmidomycin, initially recognized for its antibacterial properties, has emerged as a promising candidate in the fight against malaria. In this study, a sensitive and robust LC–MS/MS...

How to use learning curves to evaluate the sample size for malaria prediction models developed using machine learning algorithms

Machine learning algorithms have been used to predict malaria risk and severity, identify immunity biomarkers for malaria vaccine candidates, and determine molecular biomarkers of antimalarial drug resistance. Developing these prediction models requires large training datasets to ensure prediction accuracy when applied to new individuals in the target population. Learning curves...

Individual and community-level correlates of optimal doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in Tanzania: a multilevel analysis of the 2022 national survey

Malaria during pregnancy remains a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 32 million pregnant women are at risk. Despite the progress made in the coverage of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria during pregnancy using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP), notable gaps persist in understanding the individual and community-level...

Self-medication for malaria and associated factors in Kakumiro District, Uganda, August 2023: implications for malaria management and mortality prevention

In August 2022, an epidemiologic investigation into an outbreak of cases of black water fever, a severe and fatal complication of malaria, was conducted in Kakumiro District, Central Uganda. Findings revealed an association between self-medication and the development of severe malaria complications. Factors associated with self-medication for uncomplicated malaria were described...

Evaluation of anti-malarial treatment for elimination of malaria in South West Ethiopia: a concurrent triangulation design for prompt decision

Malaria case management is a vital component of strategies to ensure malaria elimination programme. Despite continuous preventive strategies in place, malaria remains a major public health problem in resource-limited countries particularly in Ethiopia due to treatment-related problems. Hence, this study aimed to determine the level of adherence to malaria diagnosis and treatment...

A power analysis framework to aid the design of robust semi-field vector control experiments

Semi-field experiments are an efficient way of assessing the impacts of potential new vector control tools (VCTs) before field trials. However, their design is critically important to ensure their results are unbiased and informative. An essential element of the design of semi-field experiments is power analysis, which empowers researchers to ensure that only designs with...

Barriers to effective usage of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNS) among women of reproductive age in Tanzania: a national cross-sectional survey

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Tanzania, with women of reproductive age particularly vulnerable to its effects. Insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) are a proven vector control strategy; however, their usage remains suboptimal due to various barriers. This study examines the sociodemographic, behavioural, and environmental factors associated with ITN...

Malaria epidemics and its drivers in Uganda in 2022

In Uganda, malaria is a year-round health threat, with transmission intensity varying across regions. Despite ongoing intensified interventions, an unprecedented malaria resurgence in early 2022 affected several districts, prompting a swift response from the National Malaria Control Division (NMCD). This study aims to assess the scale and underlying causes of the epidemics...

Investing in traditional medicine: leveraging evidence and innovative research to strengthen the fight against malaria in Nigeria

Traditional medicine (TM) has been a cornerstone of healthcare across various cultures, especially in Africa, where it has played an integral role in the management of diseases such as malaria. Despite the popularity and historical significance of TM, scientific validation remains a key challenge, hindering its widespread acceptance in modern healthcare systems. This study...

Evaluating malaria reactive surveillance and response strategies in northeast Cambodia: a mixed-methods study

Cambodia aims to eliminate malaria latest by 2030 applying the 1–3-7 malaria reactive surveillance and response (RASR) strategy which involves malaria case notification, investigation and classification on the same day as diagnosis, reactive case detection within three days, and investigation and classification of new active focus within seven days of case notification. This...

Factors associated with hospitalizations due to severe malaria in the non-endemic Brazilian region: a case–control study in the extra-Amazon Region from 2011 to 2019

Malaria is infectious disease with low occurrence in Brazil extra-Amazon Region. Despite this, higher lethality is observed in this region compared to the country's endemic area. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse factors associated with malaria hospitalizations (severe malaria) in the extra-Amazon Region, in order to prevent deaths. A case–control design was used, utilizing...

A review on the ethnomedicinal plants used for the traditional treatment of malaria in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death in the tropics and subtropics. Though Odisha has seen a decline in malaria cases over the past few years, it remains a contributing factor in deciding India's malaria journey. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-based systematic review aims to investigate and compile the ethnomedicinal...

The economic burden of malaria in Africa: a systematic review of cost of illness studies

The burden of malaria is lower than ten years ago. However, in the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of malaria cases around the world. a systematic review of studies on the cost of malaria were conducted to understand its economic burden to the health system, the household, and the society as whole. Published articles on the cost of malaria in Africa from...

Utility of rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy to detect malaria in health facilities across the Solomon Islands

Accurate and efficient malaria diagnosis is critical for effective malaria control and elimination. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been deployed over the last decade, particularly in rural and low-and-middle-income countries, as an alternative to microscopy-based diagnosis. This study analysed retrospective health data from the Solomon Islands District Health Information...