Evaluation of Malaria Parasitaemia among COVID-19 Patients in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was an exploratory prospective observational study in a cohort of patients on admission with COVID-19 in some health institutions in Nigeria. Patients within the age group of less than 25 years to greater than 50 years of age with PCR-confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, involved only those who gave consent. Ethical concern was highly upheld. Taro Yamman formula was used to determine the sample size of 400 and probability sampling technique used. Primary and secondary data sources were used. Clinical assessments and blood sample collected at one point in time following standard protocol according to WHO. Malaria diagnosis was done using microscopy through thin and thick film using Gemisha staining. All data were analyzed for descriptive statistics- frequency and percentage distributions and prevalence rates. Total malaria prevalence rate in the study was high 327 (81.8%) and in terms of severity the older age group (>50years) had high (84.8%) malaria parasitaemia. However, low parasiteamia 154 (38.5%) was common regardless of the age groups and formed the majority of malaria parasites detected while the high malaria parasitaemia was least with 59 (14.8%). The prevalence of COVID-19 co-infection with malaria was high as recorded in this study. The age group >50years had the highest number of COVID-19 patients with high malaria parasitemia. The study findings highlight the significance of understanding the possible medical and therapeutic implications of such overlapping co-infections in malaria endemic area with high morbidity burden. Routine Malaria screening and treatment should be an integral aspect of COVID-19 treatment regimen in malaria endemic region with much emphasis among the geriatrics. All malaria elimination programme and roll back malaria core values should be strengthened from vector control, to use of insecticide treated nets and others should be regularly practiced.