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Evidence of Submicroscopic Malaria Parasitemia, Soil-Transmitted Helminths, and Their Coinfections Among Forest-Fringed Orang Asli Communities in Peninsular Malaysia
Nurmanisha Abdull-Majid
Nurmanisha Abdull-Majid
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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Nan Jiun Yap
nanjiunyap@um.edu.my
Nan Jiun Yap
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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Mian Zi Tee
Mian Zi Tee
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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Yi Xian Er
Yi Xian Er
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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Romano Ngui
Romano Ngui
Department of Para-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Sarawak, Malaysia
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Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim
limailian@um.edu.my
Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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Malaysia’s malaria rate has declined but remains a public health concern, with limited investigations into malaria and coinfections with soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling in Orang Asli villages enrolled 437 villagers aged 1–83 years based on their willingness to participate. Blood samples were tested microscopically for malaria, followed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and stool samples were screened microscopically for STH eggs. Body temperature, demographic, and socioeconomic data were collected. Malaria parasite was detectable only via PCR, with a 15.3% prevalence, indicating submicroscopic malaria parasitemia; none of the positive cases presented fever. The identified species included Plasmodium vivax (8.7%), Plasmodium cynomolgi (5.5%), Plasmodium knowlesi (4.3%), Plasmodium falciparum (1.8%), Plasmodium inui (0.2%), and Plasmodium malariae (0.2%). Females had significantly higher rates of submicroscopic malaria parasitemia (19.6%) compared with males (9.3%, P = 0.003). STH infections were highly prevalent (71.4%), with Trichuris trichiura (65.2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (35.0%), and hookworm (14.6%). STH infection was associated with age (P <0.001), peaking in individuals aged 10–19 years (86.2%) and 1–9 years (83.0%), as well as with students (84.3% versus 60.8% in employed and 60.3% in unemployed; P <0.001) and low-income households (76.4% versus 61.7% in higher-income households; P = 0.002). Submicroscopic malaria parasitemia and STH coinfections were present in 8.9% of participants, with higher rates in low-income households (12.6% versus 5.2% in higher-income, P = 0.010). The Negrito tribe exhibited the highest prevalence of submicroscopic malaria parasitemia, STH, and coinfections (P <0.05). This study highlights the need for integrated malaria and STH control strategies, particularly for the Negrito tribe.
Author Notes
Financial support: Funding provided by the
Disclosures: This study was approved by both the Medical Ethics Committee of the University of Malaya Medical Centre (reference [ref.] #788.74, 878.19, 920.83, and 201401-0672) and the National Medical Research Register (ref. #NMRR17-3055-37252). Permission was obtained from the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) and village chieftains (locally known as Tok Batin) before the study began. Informed consent was obtained from participants before collecting stool and blood samples. Written consent, either signed or thumb-printed, was secured from those who agreed to participate, with parental assent required for children under 18 years. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, decisions, or policies of the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Current contact information: Nurmanisha Abdull-Majid, Nan Jiun Yap, Mian Zi Tee, Yi Xian Er, and Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, E-mails: nurmanisha@um.edu.my, nanjiunyap@um.edu.my, mianzi@um.edu.my, eryixian@um.edu.my, and limailian@um.edu.my. Romano Ngui, Department of Para-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Sarawak, Malaysia, E-mail: nromano@unimas.my.
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| PDF Downloads | 177 | 177 | 177 |