Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37872594›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2023

Gametocyte prevalence and risk factors of P. falciparum malaria patients admitted at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Thailand: a 20-year retrospective study.

Panita Looareesuwan, Srivicha Krudsood, Saranath Lawpoolsri, Noppadon Tangpukdee, Wasin Matsee, Wang Nguitragool, Polrat Wilairatana

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

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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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Molecular mechanisms involved inFrontiers in microbiology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Panita LooareesuwanDepartment of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Srivicha KrudsoodDepartment of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. srivicha.kru@mahidol.ac.th.
Saranath LawpoolsriDepartment of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Noppadon TangpukdeeDepartment of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Wasin MatseeDepartment of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Wang NguitragoolMahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Polrat WilairatanaDepartment of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. polrat.wil@mahidol.ac.th.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe incidence of malaria in Thailand has dramatically declined over the past two decades, and the goal is to eliminate malaria by 2025. Despite significant progress, one of the key challenges to malaria elimination are undetected gametocyte carriers. Human migration adds complexity to the malaria situation, as it not only sustains local transmission but also poses the risk of spreading drug-resistant parasites. Currently, no study has assessed the prevalence of gametocytes across multiple years in Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients in Thailand, and the risk factors for gametocyte carriage have not been fully explored.

methodsMedical records of all P. falciparum malaria patients admitted from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2020 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Thailand, were retrospectively examined and a total of 1962 records were included for analysis. Both P. falciparum parasites and gametocytes were diagnosed by microscopy. A regression model was used to evaluate predictors of gametocyte carriage.

resultsThe study demonstrated gametocyte prevalence in low malaria transmission areas. Nine risk factors for gametocyte carriage were identified: age between 15 and 24 years [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-3.26], Karen ethnicity (aOR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.56-4.29), preadmission duration of fever > 7 days (aOR = 5.40, 95% CI 3.92-7.41), fever on admission (> 37.5 °C) (aOR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.48-0.77), haemoglobin ≤ 8 g/dL (aOR = 3.32, 95% CI 2.06-5.33), asexual parasite density > 5000-25,000/µL (aOR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.98), asexual parasite density > 25,000-100,000/µL (aOR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.53-1.03), asexual parasite density > 100,000/µL (aOR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.36-0.72), platelet count ≤ 100,000/µL (aOR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.85, clinical features of severe malaria (aOR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.76-3.10) and dry season (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.10-1.80). An increasing incidence of imported transnational malaria cases was observed over the past two decades.

conclusionsThis is the first study to determine the prevalence of gametocytes among patients with symptomatic P. falciparum malaria, identify the risk factors for gametocyte carriage, and potential gametocyte carriers in Thailand. Blocking transmission is one of the key strategies for eliminating malaria in these areas. The results might provide important information for targeting gametocyte carriers and improving the allocation of resources for malaria control in Thailand. This study supports the already nationally recommended use of a single dose of primaquine in symptomatic P. falciparum malaria patients to clear gametocytes.

Indexed as

AntimalarialsMalaria, FalciparumAdolescentAdultAntiparasitic AgentsHospitalsHumansPlasmodium falciparumPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsThailandYoung AdultAntimalarialsAntiparasitic AgentsGametocyteMalariaPlasmodium falciparumRisk factors

Identifiers

PMID37872594
PMCPMC10591378

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.