Trends in Parasitology
The epidemiology of malaria in Papua New Guinea
Section snippets
Endemicity of malaria in PNG
The main climatic determinant of malaria endemicity in PNG is temperature, and because the country is located close to the equator, temperatures do not show much seasonal variation and depend mainly on altitude. The human population is concentrated in the highland areas at >1300–1500 m and in the coastal lowlands at <600 m altitude [6] with very sparse habitation in intermediate zones (Table 1). Until recently, the highland areas, with the exception of lower-lying inter-montane valleys, were
Species composition and history of malaria control
The two main species of human malaria in PNG are P. falciparum and P. vivax. The distribution of P. malariae is patchy. In parts of East Sepik Province, the overall prevalence of P. malariae reaches 13%; although it has been little studied, it might have important health effects both as a cause of chronic morbidity and (possibly) by stimulating cross-protection against other pathogens [20]. Plasmodium ovale is found only occasionally.
The species composition is very much related to the history
Clinical epidemiology
Malaria is the most frequent outpatient diagnosis (annual incidence of 303 per 1000 people at risk) and the second leading case of admissions (834 per 100 000 individuals) in health facilities in many endemic areas†. This high incidence occurs despite the fact that most of the population of malaria-endemic areas in PNG have some degree of immunity, and so malaria
Vector taxonomy and ecology
The principal malaria vectors in PNG are members of the Anopheles punctulatus group of mosquitoes. Before 1993, only three members of this group were known from PNG, Anopheles farauti, Anopheles koliensis and Anopheles punctulatus 4, 39, 40, 41. It was believed that these could be distinguished morphologically. In addition, there are several morphologically distinct minor vectors including Anopheles bancroftii, Anopheles longirostris and Anopheles karwari [18].
Allozyme analysis and PCR
Conclusions
The studies carried out at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) on the epidemiology of malaria have aimed at an integrated understanding of the ecology of malaria and have attempted to move as quickly as possible to the evaluation of appropriate interventions. An integrated programme studies the biology and molecular analysis of the parasite; the genetics, immune responses and behaviour of the host; human infection and disease; the genetics and behaviour of the mosquito
Acknowledgements
We thank the people of PNG and, in particular, the staff of the PNGIMR for their tremendous contributions to the various studies cited in this paper. We are grateful to Dan Anderegg for his assistance with graphics, and to the Swiss National Science Foundation for their support of I.M.
References (84)
Population change and distribution in Papua New Guinea: an epidemiological approach
J. Hum. Evol.
(1983)- et al.
Studies on the epidemiology of malaria in New Guinea. Part IV – Unstable highlands malaria. The clinical picture
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1960) Malaria in the natives of New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1947)- et al.
Malaria in the Maprik area of the Sepik region, Papua New Guinea: 1957–1984
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1987) Area effects of bednet use in a malaria-endemic area in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(2001)The epidemiology of severe malaria in an area of low transmission in Thailand
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1997)Absence of malaria-specific mortality in children in an area of hyperendemic malaria
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1997)Growth in children from the Wosera subdistrict, Papua New Guinea, in relation to energy and protein intakes and zinc status
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
(1991)Effect of vitamin A supplementation on morbidity due to Plasmodium falciparum in young children in Papua New Guinea: a randomised trial
Lancet
(1999)Total dose iron infusion, malaria and pregnancy in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
(1986)
Iron supplementation increases prevalence and effects of malaria: report on clinical studies in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Plasmodium vivax resistance to chloroquine?
Lancet
Fansidar-resistant falciparum malaria in Papua New Guinea
Lancet
Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to amodiaquine in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Occurrence of the erythrocyte band 3 (AE1) gene deletion in relation to malaria endemicity in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Hereditary ovalocytosis and reduced susceptibility to malaria in Papua New Guinea
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
The association of the glycophorin C exon 3 deletion with ovalocytosis and malaria susceptibility in the Wosera, Papua New Guinea
Blood
The interaction of α thalassaemia with malaria
Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Random distribution of mixed species malaria infections in Papua New Guinea
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Epidemiology of malaria in New Guinea
P. N. G. Med. J.
The epidemiology of malaria in Papua New Guinea
Malaria in Papua New Guinea, 1974
P. N. G. Med. J.
Human malaria transmission studies in the Anopheles punctulatus complex in Papua New Guinea: sporozoite rates, inoculation rates, and sporozoite densities
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
The epidemiology of malaria in a population surrounding Madang, Papua New Guinea
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
The epidemiology of malaria in the Wosera area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for vaccine trials. I. Malariometric indices and immunity
Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.
Parasites of Man in Niugini
Health impact assessments of malaria and Ross River virus infection in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea
P. N. G. Med. J.
Highlands malaria: malaria in Enga Province of Papua New Guinea
P. N. G. Med. J.
The population structure of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax during an epidemic of malaria in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Small-area variations in the epidemiology of malaria in Madang Province
P. N. G. Med. J.
Spatial and temporal variation in abundance of Anopheles (Diptera:Culicidae) in a malaria endemic area in Papua New Guinea
J. Med. Entomol.
An analysis of some factors determining the sporozoite rates, human blood indexes, and biting rates of members of the Anopheles punctulatus complex in Papua New Guinea
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Prospective risk of morbidity in relation to malaria infection in an area of high endemicity of multiple species of Plasmodium
Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.
Social aspects in the changing epidemiology of malaria in the highlands of New Guinea
Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.
The effect of permethrin-impregnated bednets on a population of Anopheles farauti in coastal Papua New Guinea
Med. Vet. Entomol.
Reduction in incidence and prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum in under-5-year-old children by permethrin impregnation of mosquito nets
Bull WHO
The use of untreated bednets and malaria infection, morbidity and immunity
Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.
The epidemiology of malaria in the Wosera area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for vaccine trials. II. Mortality and morbidity
Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.
Failure of chloroquine prophylaxis for falciparum malaria in pregnant women in Madang, Papua New Guinea
Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.
Causes of preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation in a malaria endemic region of Papua New Guinea
Arch. Dis. Child Fetal Neonatal Ed
Cited by (136)
Oral cancer in Papua New Guinea: looking back and looking forward
2020, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral RadiologyA Health Survey Revealing Prevalence of Vector-Borne Diseases and Tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea Defence Force Personnel and Families
2023, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and HygieneInsecticide resistance in malaria and arbovirus vectors in Papua New Guinea, 2017–2022
2022, Parasites and VectorsGenetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte binding protein 2b in global parasite populations
2022, Parasites and Vectors