Malaria-Geohelminths co-infection and their association with severe malaria complications in Darimu health center, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Malaria and helmnthic parasitic infections are determinant factors for incidence of severe anemia. Different scholars reported the association of malaria-helmnthic co-infection and severe malaria symptoms differently. Thus, the current study is designed to assess association between the two infectious diseases and their association with severe symptoms in Ethiopia, where the two infections co-exist and endemic. Accordingly, a total of 2758 febrile patients seeking medication in Darimu health center were tested for malaria infection. Malaria positive patients were further assessed for co-infection with helmnthic parasites using direct wet mount and formalin-ether sedimentation concentration methods. Accordingly, among 351 malaria positive patients (12.7%, 95%CI, 11.56-14.08, P<0.001), about 216 (61.54%, 58.26-68.58, P<0.001) were co-infected with single or more than one helmthic parasites. Anemic cases were significantly higher among patients mono-infected with P. falciparum (χ 2 = 15.32, P<0001), and P. vivax (χ 2 = 13.61, P= 0.0002) but not during mixed infection of both plasmodium parasite (χ 2 =0.074, P=0.78). Likewise, significant increment of anemia symptom was observed in patients malaria co-infected with hookworm (χ 2 =9.37, P=0.002) and A. lumbricoides (χ 2 =4.39, P=0.036). However, significant association between anemia and malaria co-infection with T. trichiura (χ 2 = 2.24, P=0.134) was not observed. On the other hand although the frequency of severe malaria symptoms seems higher among malaria-helmnth co-infected patients than malaria mono-infected, their relative risk (RR) to jaundice, severe malaria, hemoglobunuria, hypoglycemia, hyperparasitemia and impaired consciousness was not significantly different (P>0.05) from malaria mono-infected cases. The study revealed lack of strong association between malaria-helmths co-infection and severe malaria symptoms among malaria patients.