Asymptomatic malaria control program in high-risk Jask district, Hormozgan Province, Iran

Asymptomatic malaria is a great challenge in the control، elimination and eradication programs of the disease in the endemic areas. The infected individuals with asymptomatic malaria are not cured and are، consequently، a potential source for contamination of the mosquito vectors and spread of the disease in the area. Therefore، detection of asymptomatic infected people is very important as regards combating the disease. This study was conducted to determine the presence and prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in Jask district، Hormozgan Province، Iran during 2012-13، in the hope that the results will help in designing strategies to eliminate the disease in the area. A total of 200 persons under coverage of health centers in Jask district were selected randomly and enrolled in the study. From each subject a 5-ml blood sample was taken in 3 occasions (total number of samples = 600)، slides p repared and examined using microscopic and molecular (PCR) methods، as well as rapid diagnostic (RDT) tests. None of the 600 slides prepared microscopically showed any positive malaria case. Neither did any of those prepared by RDTs or Nested-PCR. The findings of this study indicate that implementation of the malaria control program has been successful in the area; therefore the malaria elimination program should continue.