sub-Saharan Africa

Plasmodium vivax infection is rising in sub-Saharan Africa, where Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more than 90% of malaria cases. While P. vivax is identified as a major cause of severe and cerebral malaria in South east Asia, the Pacific and South America, most of the severe and cerebral cases in Africa were attributed to P. falciparum. Cases of severe malaria due to P. vivax are emerging in Africa. A few severe P. vivax cases were reported in Eastern Sudan and they were underestimated due to the lack of accurate diagnosis, low parasitaemia and seldom use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).

Parasite resistance against anti-malarial drugs is a major threat to the ongoing malaria control and elimination strategies.

Populations in sub-Saharan Africa have historically been exposed to intense selection from chronic infection with falciparum malaria.

While the importance of understanding human-vector interaction is well-established, relatively few studies have included human behaviour when measuring exposure to malaria vectors.

In sub-Saharan Africa, inherited causes of anemia are common, but data are limited regarding the geographical prevalence and coinheritance of these conditions and their overall contributions to childhood anemia.