Epidemiology of malaria in Bangladesh: detection and identification of genetic and molecular variation in Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

In the present study, different aspects of malaria in Bangladesh were studied including its epidemiological aspects, knowledge, attitude and practices of the people; development of two high level molecular diagnostic methods for the most virulent malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum ) followed by its genetic diversity. In the epidemiological study during 2010-13, a total of 1,64,055 malaria cases were reported from 13 endemic districts of Bangladesh. The overall mean female: male ratio of annual malaria incidence was1:1.42. Malaria caused by P. falciparum was found dominant in Bangladesh which was 94.2% of total malaria cases. Only 5.5% cases were reported to be caused by P. vivax. Remaining infection was caused by P. falciparum and P. vivax mixed infection. A total of 99 patients died during this period (2010-13). Quiet opposite to the malaria incidence, death of female (51) was slightly more than death of male (48). Highest number of death was 37 in 2010 followed by 36 in 2011.1