Ashfaq Ahmed Buriro, Ali Muhammad Memon, Noman Sadiq, Jamshed Warsi, Zaib Un Nisa Mughal, Autif Hussain Mangi, Rozina Mangi, Benazir Mahar.
The Pandemonium of Malaria in the Rural Population of District Khairpur During the 2022 Monsoon Flood.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;13(3):113-6.

Background: The recent monsoon flood in Pakistan triggered a surge in various diseases, particularly affecting Sindh. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of malaria in the Khairpur district during the flood pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Khairpur district on the rural population during the flood pandemic of 2022, spanning from August to September. Due to the flood, numerous patients exhibited fever and malaria-related symptoms. Using convenient purposive sampling, all symptomatic patients underwent malaria testing through the ICT (immunochromatographic test) method. Results: Throughout the study period, 2383 individuals presented with malaria-like symptoms. Among them, 1932 individuals tested positive for malaria, resulting in a prevalence of 81.1%. Among the malaria-positive cases, Plasmodium vivax was detected in 1431 (74%) cases, while Plasmodium falciparum was identified in 501 (26%) individuals. Notably, 85% of males, 67% of non-pregnant females, 36% of pregnant females, 65% of children up to 8 years old, and 95% of children aged 9-18 were afflicted with malaria. Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria in flood-affected areas is alarmingly high. While the elevated prevalence of Plasmodium vivax poses a substantial health risk, the presence of Plasmodium falciparum may lead to severe complications.

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