Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33028361›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2020

Uncomplicated falciparum malaria among schoolchildren in Bajil district of Hodeidah governorate, west of Yemen: association with anaemia and underweight.

Talal S Alwajeeh, Rashad Abdul-Ghani, Amal F Allam, Hoda F Farag, Safia S M Khalil, Amel Y Shehab, Mona H El-Sayad, Raed A Alharbi, Shaia S R Almalki, Ahmed A Azazy

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Research progress of health care in Yemeni children during the war: review.Primary health care research & development · 2022
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.

Talal S AlwajeehLaboratory Department, Kuwait University Hospital, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen.
Rashad Abdul-GhaniDepartment of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen. rashadqb@yahoo.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7181-1108
Amal F AllamDepartment of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Hoda F FaragDepartment of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Safia S M KhalilDepartment of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Amel Y ShehabDepartment of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Mona H El-SayadDepartment of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Raed A AlharbiLaboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia.
Shaia S R AlmalkiLaboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed A AzazyLaboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia.
Alexandria University · EGAl Baha University · SASana'a University · YE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalaria, malnutrition and anaemia are major public health problems in Yemen, with Hodeidah being the most malaria-afflicted governorate. To address the lack of relevant studies, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and its relation to nutritional status and haematological indices among schoolchildren in Bajil district of Hodeidah governorate, west of Yemen.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 schoolchildren selected randomly from four schools in Bajil district. Data about demographic characteristics, risk factors and anthropometric measurements of age, height and weight were collected. Duplicate thick and thin blood films were prepared, stained with Giemsa and examined microscopically for malaria parasites. The density of P. falciparum asexual stages was estimated on thick films. EDTA-blood samples were examined for the haematological indices of haemoglobin (Hb) and blood cell counts.

resultsPlasmodium falciparum was prevalent among 8.0% (32/400) of schoolchildren with a mean parasite density of 244.3 ± 299.3/µL of blood and most infections showing low-level parasitaemia, whereas Plasmodium vivax was detected in one child (0.25%). Residing near water collections was a significant independent predictor of falciparum malaria [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.6, 95.0% CI 1.20-5.72; p = 0.016] in schoolchildren. Mild anaemia was prevalent among more than half of P. falciparum-infected schoolchildren and significantly associated with falciparum malaria (AOR = 5.8, 95.0% CI 2.39-14.17; p < 0.001), with a mean Hb concentration of 10.7 ± 1.0 g/dL. Although the mean values of the total white blood cells, monocytes and platelets were significantly lower in infected than non-infected schoolchildren, they were within normal ranges. More than half of the children were malnourished, with stunting (39.3%) and underweight (36.0%) being the most prevalent forms of malnutrition; 6.3% of children were wasted. Underweight (AOR = 5.3, 95.0% CI 2.09-13.62; p < 0.001) but not stunting or wasting, was a significant predictor of falciparum malaria among schoolchildren.

conclusionAsymptomatic falciparum malaria is prevalent among schoolchildren in Bajil district of Hodeidah Governorate, with predominance of low parasitaemic infections and significant association with mild anaemia and underweight. Residence near water collection is a significant predictor of infection with falciparum malaria among schoolchildren. Further studies among children with severe malaria and those with high parasite densities are recommended.

Indexed as

AdolescentAnemiaChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMalariaMalaria, FalciparumMaleMalnutritionPlasmodium falciparumPrevalenceThinnessYemenFalciparum malariaHaematological indicesMalnutritionSchoolchildrenYemen

Identifiers

PMID33028361
PMCPMC7542704
OpenAlexW3092168159

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.