Abstract:
Malaria is a disease caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted to humans by bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Among the five species of Plasmodium responsible for human malaria, two are particularly dangerous: P. falciparum, responsable for the majority of deaths and prevalent in Africa, and P. vivax, more common outside sub-Saharan Africa.
The objective of the present study is to establish a retrospective survey during the period 2019-2023 to evaluate the epidemiological situation of malaria in the Ghardaïa region, also diagnosing new suspected cases at Sidi Abaz Hospital through microscopic examination using Giemsa staining to examine thin blood smears and thick drops to identify malaria parasites (Plasmodium) species.
The results of five years of research, revealed by the epidemiology department of the Ghardaia region from 2019 to 2023 revealed 53 positive cases, most of which were imported from the sub-Saharan region. Plasmodium falciparum was present in 99% of patients, while Plasmodium vivax accounted for only 1% of cases. The maximum number of cases was reported in 2020 with 16 cases, and the most affected age group was (17-31) years, with a male predominance of 89% of cases. Three cases of P. falciparum were diagnosed during the study year 2024 according to the initial results of parasitological diagnosis.
