IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS) e-ISSN: 2278-3008, p-ISSN:2319-7676. Volume 6, Issue 3 (May. – Jun. 2013), PP 06-15 www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 6 | Page Stable endemic malaria in a rainforest community of Southeastern Nigeria Ugha, C.N., Onyido, A.E., Obiukwu, M.O., Umeanaeto, P.U., Egbuche, M.C. and Obiechina, I.O. Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B. 5025 Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria Abstract: Malaria infections in a stable endemic malaria community of Abagana, a rainforest community in southeastern Nigeria was studied between April and August 2012. Advocacy visits to the traditional ruler and opinion leaders of the community and proper explanations of the project were used to obtain permission to carry out the study. The community was mobilized through public announcements in the churches, schools, markets and group meetings. Thick and thin blood films were used to concentrate, and identify malaria parasites using oil immersion lense of bright field light microscope. Estimates of parasite intensity per person was made on each positive slide by parasite count in the microscope fields. Participants were grouped into sexes, age, education and occupation. A total of 141 participants made up of 59(41.84%) males and 82(58.16%) females were involved in the study. Of the 141 participants, 76(53.90%) were positive with malaria parasites, among whom 32(42.11%) were males and 44(57.89%) were females. Of the positive malaria cases, malaria intensity among the participants were light 32(42.11%), moderate 35(46.05%) and heavy 9(11.84%) and was spread across all the groups and villages. These results revealed holoendemicity of malaria in the community. Intervention efforts including massive educational campaigns were suggested. Keywords- Endemic,holoendemicity,intensity,parasite,rainforest I. Introduction Malaria is an infectious disease that torments primarily the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is the most important and widespread human parasitic disease [1] and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide [2]. Every year, between 300 to 500 million clinical cases of malaria, accounting for over one million deaths are recorded globally [3]. Over 90% of all cases of malaria occur in Africa, South of the Sahara [4]. In the endemic areas of the world, children under the age of five years and women in their first pregnancy are most vulnerable to the disease [5]. In Nigeria, malaria is a major public health problem. It results in 25% infant and 30% childhood mortality and about 50% of the 150 million people of Nigeria suffer at least one episode of malaria each year [6]. The Federal Ministry of Health [7] reports that one in four people suffer from malaria fever at one time or the other while up to 1.2 million children (under the age of five years) still die of malaria annually, and the numbers affected are growing remorselessly [8]. Malaria is holoendemic in rural areas and mesoendemic in urban centres. The disease accounts for 40% of public health expenditure, 30-50% of in-patient admissions and upto 50% out patients with high transmission [9]. The economic burden of malaria illness in malaria households account for almost 50% of the total economic burden of illness in malaria holoendemic communities [10]. Also, the presence of malaria in a community is considered to hamper both individual and national developments due to loss of lives and useful manhours as well as absenteeism in schools and workplaces [11]. Malaria transmission in Nigeria is epidemic and strongly seasonal for 1-3 months in the Sahel savannah zone, endemic and seasonal for 4-6 months in Guinea savannah zone and endemic and perennial in the rain and mangrove forest zone [7]. In a three months prospective study to investigate the seasonal variations in episodes of malaria among 20 patients attending a community Health Centre at Udi, Enugu State, Nigeria, [12] obtained a statistically significant higher number of episodes of malaria in wet season than in dry season. In the same study, the author also obtained a perfect positive correlation between episodes of malaria and gametocytopaenia in wet than in dry season indicating a higher rate of malaria transmission in wet season in the presence of mosquito vectors. This study was therefore aimed at studying the malaria burden at Abagana community in the rainforest zone of Nigeria so as to provide baseline data for the effective control of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases in the area. The specific objectives were to determine the prevalence of malaria infections in Abagana community, and the groups (age, sex, occupation and education) mostly at risk in the area.