Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41646777›Full record

ArticlemedRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences2026

Imported malaria predominates in near-elimination settings in Southwestern Uganda.

Monica Mbabazi, Shahiid Kiyaga, Thomas Katairo, Kisakye D Kabbale, Victor Asua, Brian A Kagurusi, Innocent Wiringilimaana, Bienvenu Nsengimaana, Francis D Semakuba, Jackie Nakasaanya and 24 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

34 authors.

Monica MbabaziInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-6621-0586
Shahiid KiyagaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-6380-4714
Thomas KatairoInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Kisakye D KabbaleInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Victor AsuaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Brian A KagurusiInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-8615-6732
Innocent WiringilimaanaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Bienvenu NsengimaanaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0009-0002-9786-7294
Francis D SemakubaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Jackie NakasaanyaNational Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services/Central Public Health Laboratory (NHLDS/CPHL), Kampala, Uganda.
Alisen AyitewalaNational Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services/Central Public Health Laboratory (NHLDS/CPHL), Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-6173-4006
Eric WatyekeleInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Isaiah NabendeInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Tonny Max KayondoInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Emmanuel ArinaitweInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Jerry MulondoInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Stephen TukwasibweInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Samuel L NsobyaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Bosco AgabaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Catherine MaitekiNational Malaria Elimination Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Daudi JjingoThe African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
David Patrick KateeteMakerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
Moses R KamyaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Isaac SsewanyanaInfectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kampala, Uganda.
Andres Aranda-DiazDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-0566-4901
Melissa D ConradJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Maxwell MurphyDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Inna GerlovinaDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Adrienne EpsteinDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-8253-6102
Isabel Rodriguez-BarraquerDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Philip J RosenthalDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-7953-7622
Grant DorseyDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-0740-0317
Bryan GreenhouseDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Jessica BriggsDivision of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.

Funding

Transmission ProjectU19AI089674 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI MATTHEW G DORSEY, MOSES Robert KAMYA · 2010 to 2026
$29.3M
Mentoring translational scientists in international infectious disease researchK24AI144048 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Bryan R Greenhouse · 2019 to 2026
$1.6M
Data and analysis ecosystem for eukaryotic pathogen targeted sequencingU01AI184646 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI GREENHOUSE, BRYAN R · 2024 to 2025
$1.5M
Improving the accuracy of malaria surveillance with serology and parasite genetic dataK23AI166009 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Jessica Briggs · 2022 to 2026
$955k
Gates Foundation INV-035751Gates Foundation INV-037316NIAID NIH HHS K23 AI166009NIAID NIH HHS K24 AI144048NIAID NIH HHS U01 AI184646NIAID NIH HHS U19 AI089674
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Malaria transmission in southwestern Uganda is low, but persists despite ongoing control efforts. Identifying whether infections are locally sustained or imported by travelers is critical for guiding interventions. We integrated epidemiologic surveillance with parasite genomics to characterize imported malaria episodes at three health facilities in southwestern Uganda. Methods: Between January 2023 and June 2024, we enrolled microscopy-confirmed malaria cases at three health facilities, Maziba and Muko (very low transmission) and Kamwezi (low-to-moderate transmission), administered travel history questionnaires, and collected dried blood spots for genotyping. Results: Amongst malaria cases, recent overnight travel was common in Maziba (87%) and Muko (96%) but infrequent in Kamwezi (12%). Most travel in cases from Maziba and Muko was from high-transmission regions in northern and eastern Uganda. Parasites in Maziba and Muko cases exhibited higher within-host diversity and lower within-site relatedness compared to those in Kamwezi cases. Transmission network inference identified most infections in Maziba and Muko as imported, with the majority of inferred secondary transmission linked to recent travelers. In contrast, Kamwezi showed multiple highly related clusters, indicating sustained local transmission. Validated and candidate markers of artemisinin partial resistance (K13 P441L and R561H) were more prevalent in Kamwezi. Conclusion: Malaria in Maziba and Muko was driven largely by importation from other parts of Uganda, while local transmission played a larger role in Kamwezi . Tailored interventions addressing travel-associated risks and local transmission, supported by travel histories and parasite genetic data will be valuable to advance malaria elimination in this region.

Indexed as

Drug resistance markersGenetic diversity and relatednessGenomic epidemiologyImportationMalaria eliminationPlasmodium falciparumSouthwestern UgandaTransmission networksTravel history

Identifiers

PMID41646777
PMCPMC12870579

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.