This preprint is under consideration at Malaria Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
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Research
Juan Carlos Gabaldon-Figueira
Clinica Universidad de Navarra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2525-0263
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Fifty-three percent of all cases of malaria in the Americas in 2019 came from Venezuela, where the epidemic is heavily focused south of the Orinoco river, and where most of the country’s Amerindian groups live. Despite the disease is known to represent a significant public health problem among these populations, little epidemiological data exists on the subject. This study aims to provide information on malaria incidence, geospatial clustering, and risk factors associated to Plasmodium falciparum infection among these groups.
Methods: This is a descriptive study based on the analysis of published and unpublished
programmatic data collected by Venezuelan health authorities and non-government
organizations between 2014 and 2018. The Annual Parasite Index among indigenous groups (API-i) in municipalities of three states: Amazonas, Bolivar and Sucre was calculated and
compared using the Kruskal Wallis test, risk factors for P. falciparum infection were identified
via binomial logistic regression and maps were constructed to identify clusters of malaria
cases among indigenous patients via Moran’s I and Getis-Ord’s hot spot analysis.
Results: 116,097 cases of malaria in Amerindian groups were registered during the study period. An increasing trend was observed between 2014 and 2016 but reverted in 2018. Malaria incidence remains higher than in 2014 and hot spots were identified in the three states, although more importantly south of Bolivar. Most cases (73.3%) were caused by P. vivax, but the Hoti and Yanomami indigenous groups presented higher odds for infection with P. falciparum.
Conclusion: Malaria cases among Amerindian populations increased between 2014 and 2018 and seem to have a different geographic distribution as those among the general population. Our findings suggest that tailored, cost-effective interventions will be needed to curb the negative impact of malaria transmission in these groups. Attention to the Hoti and Yanomami should be prioritized.
Keywords
Malaria, Venezuela, Amerindian groups, Amazonas, Bolivar, Sucre
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On 27 Mar, 2021
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Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Mar, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 16 Mar, 2021
Review #? received
Received 16 Mar, 2021
Reviewers invited
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This preprint is under consideration at Malaria Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Juan Carlos Gabaldon-Figueira
Clinica Universidad de Navarra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2525-0263
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 10 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 31 Mar, 2021
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 27 Mar, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 17 Mar, 2021
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Mar, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 16 Mar, 2021
Review #? received
Received 16 Mar, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Mar, 2021
Editor assigned
On 01 Mar, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 01 Mar, 2021
Editor invited
On 01 Mar, 2021
First submitted
On 01 Mar, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Fifty-three percent of all cases of malaria in the Americas in 2019 came from Venezuela, where the epidemic is heavily focused south of the Orinoco river, and where most of the country’s Amerindian groups live. Despite the disease is known to represent a significant public health problem among these populations, little epidemiological data exists on the subject. This study aims to provide information on malaria incidence, geospatial clustering, and risk factors associated to Plasmodium falciparum infection among these groups.
Methods: This is a descriptive study based on the analysis of published and unpublished
programmatic data collected by Venezuelan health authorities and non-government
organizations between 2014 and 2018. The Annual Parasite Index among indigenous groups (API-i) in municipalities of three states: Amazonas, Bolivar and Sucre was calculated and
compared using the Kruskal Wallis test, risk factors for P. falciparum infection were identified
via binomial logistic regression and maps were constructed to identify clusters of malaria
cases among indigenous patients via Moran’s I and Getis-Ord’s hot spot analysis.
Results: 116,097 cases of malaria in Amerindian groups were registered during the study period. An increasing trend was observed between 2014 and 2016 but reverted in 2018. Malaria incidence remains higher than in 2014 and hot spots were identified in the three states, although more importantly south of Bolivar. Most cases (73.3%) were caused by P. vivax, but the Hoti and Yanomami indigenous groups presented higher odds for infection with P. falciparum.
Conclusion: Malaria cases among Amerindian populations increased between 2014 and 2018 and seem to have a different geographic distribution as those among the general population. Our findings suggest that tailored, cost-effective interventions will be needed to curb the negative impact of malaria transmission in these groups. Attention to the Hoti and Yanomami should be prioritized.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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