Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39854542›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Association between asymptomatic submicroscopic and microscopic malaria infections and anemia: A study in southern Benin.

Alejandro Rojas Chaves, Yannelle Dossou, Armel Djènontin, Elisée Adimi, Romuald Akoho, Justine Bailly, Aziz Bouraïma, Déborah Matondo, Yolande Sissinto, Dismand Houinato and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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

13 authors.

Alejandro Rojas ChavesUniversité Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, F-75006, Paris, France.
Yannelle DossouInstitut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin/IRCB, Abomey-calavi, Bénin.
Armel DjènontinCentre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), Cotonou (Bénin) and Centre de Recherche Pour la Lutte Contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales (CReMIT), Université d'Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Bénin.
Elisée AdimiCentre d'Etude et de Recherche sur le Paludisme Associé à la Grossesse et à l'Enfance (CERPAGE), Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Cotonou, Bénin.
Romuald AkohoCentre d'Etude et de Recherche sur le Paludisme Associé à la Grossesse et à l'Enfance (CERPAGE), Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Cotonou, Bénin.
Justine BaillyUniversité Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, F-75006, Paris, France.
Aziz BouraïmaCentre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), Cotonou (Bénin) and Centre de Recherche Pour la Lutte Contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales (CReMIT), Université d'Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Bénin.
Déborah MatondoUniversité Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, F-75006, Paris, France.
Yolande SissintoFaculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d'Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.
Dismand HouinatoFaculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d'Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.
Achille MassougbodjiInstitut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin/IRCB, Abomey-calavi, Bénin.
Célia DechavanneUniversité Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, F-75006, Paris, France.ORCID 0000-0001-8439-9976
Gilles CottrellUniversité Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, F-75006, Paris, France.ORCID 0000-0002-7964-8963

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionRecently, efforts to eliminate malaria have shifted focus from symptomatic cases alone to include asymptomatic carriers, who are now recognized as significant contributors to the disease's transmission and control. This study examines the relationship between asymptomatic malaria infection and hemoglobin levels in Benin.

methodsA cohort in Benin was enrolled and categorized into three age groups (under 5 years, 5-15 years, and over 15 years) for follow-up from August to November 2021. Participants were monitored over two months and assessed for malaria infection through microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) during their three visits. A questionnaire was employed to gather general and clinical characteristics. Multivariate models were utilized to analyze the associations between asymptomatic infection, anemia, and hemoglobin levels.

resultsAmong 393 participants, 58.2% were diagnosed at enrolment with malaria via PCR, and 30.5% through microscopy. Anemia, defined as hemoglobin levels < 11 g/dL, was observed in 40.5% of the cohort. The risk of anemia declined with increasing age (OR for ages 5-15: 0.64, 95% CI [0.37; 1.09]; OR for over 15 years: 0.34, 95% CI [0.20; 0.59]) compared to children under 5. Individuals with both microscopic and submicroscopic infections exhibited higher odds of anemia (respectively OR = 4.15, 95% CI [2.41; 7.13] and OR = 2.09 [1.22; 3.57]) relative to those uninfected. Hemoglobin levels were consistently lower in participants with microscopic malaria across all age groups (β = -2.73, 95% CI [-3.41; -2.05] for those under 5, β = -1.35, 95% CI [-1.89; -0.82] for ages 5-15, and β = -0.72, 95% CI [-1.34; -0.07]) compared to non-infected individuals. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that asymptomatic malaria infections, including submicroscopic cases, are associated with anemia and decreased hemoglobin levels. This underscores the importance of employing ultrasensitive diagnostic methods for such infections and acknowledging their potential health implications.

Indexed as

AnemiaAsymptomatic InfectionsMalariaAdolescentAdultBeninChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHemoglobinsHumansInfantMaleMicroscopyMiddle AgedHemoglobins

Identifiers

PMID39854542
PMCPMC11759402

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.