meta-analysis

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is endemic in Africa; hence, the possibility of co-infection with malaria among patients with HAT exists. The present study investigated co-infection with malaria among patients with HAT to provide current evidence and characteristics to support further studies. Potentially relevant studies that reported Plasmodium spp. infection in patients with HAT was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The risk of bias among the included studies was assessed using the checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

Coinfection of malaria and intestinal helminths affects one third of the global population, largely among communities with severe poverty. The spread of these parasitic infections overlays in several epidemiological locations and the host shows different outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis determine the pooled prevalence of malaria and intestinal helminthiases coinfections among malaria suspected patients in Ethiopia.

To overcome the limitations of conventional malaria rapid diagnostic tests (cRDTs) in diagnosing malaria in patients with low parasitaemia, ultrasensitive malaria rapid diagnostic tests (uRDTs) have recently been developed, with promising results under laboratory conditions. The current study is the first meta-analysis comparing the overall sensitivity, and specificity of newly developed ultrasensitive Plasmodium falciparum malaria RDT (Alere™ Ultra-sensitive Malaria Ag P. falciparum RDT) with the cRDT conducted in the same field conditions.

Malaria mixed infections are often unrecognized by microscopists in the hospitals, and a delay or failure to treat Plasmodium-mixed infection may lead to aggravated morbidity and increased mortality. The present study aimed to quantify the pooled proportion and risk of malarial recurrences after the treatment of Plasmodium-mixed infection. The results of the study may provide benefits in the management of Plasmodium-mixed infection in co-endemic regions.

Reactive malaria case detection involves the screening of those in contact with index cases and is used in countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The yield of reactive case detection, defined here as the percentage of positive malaria cases among potential contacts who were screened, was assessed.