The age-specific incidence of hospitalized paediatric malaria in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship between malaria infection risk and disease outcomes represents a fundamental component of morbidity and mortality burden estimations. Contemporary data on severe malaria risks among populations of different parasite exposures are scarce. Using surveillance data, we compared rates of paediatric malaria hospitalisation in areas of varying parasite exposure levels. METHODS: Surveillance data at five public hospitals; Jinja, Mubende, Kabale, Tororo, and Apac were assembled among admissions aged 1 month to 14 years between 2017 and 2018. The address of each admission was used to define a local catchment population where national census data was used to define person-year-exposure to risk. Within each catchment, historical infection prevalence was assembled from previously published data and current infection prevalence defined using 33 population-based school surveys among 3400 children. Poisson regression was used to compute the overall and site-specific incidences with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Both current and historical Plasmodium falciparum prevalence varied across the five sites. Current prevalence ranged from < 1% in Kabale to 54% in Apac. Overall, the malaria admission incidence rate (IR) was 7.3 per 1000 person years among children aged 1 month to 14 years of age (95% CI: 7.0, 7.7). The lowest rate was described at Kabale (IR = 0.3; 95 CI: 0.1, 0.6) and highest at Apac (IR = 20.3; 95 CI: 18.9, 21.8). There was a correlation between IR across the five sites and the current parasite prevalence in school children, though findings were not statistically significant. Across all sites, except Kabale, malaria admissions were concentrated among young children, 74% were under 5 years. The median age of malaria admissions at Kabale hospital was 40 months (IQR 20, 72), and at Apac hospital was 36 months (IQR 18, 69). Overall, severe anaemia (7.6%) was the most common presentation and unconsciousness (1.8%) the least common. CONCLUSION: Malaria hospitalisation rates remain high in Uganda particularly among young children. The incidence of hospitalized malaria in different locations in Uganda appears to be influenced by past parasite exposure, immune acquisition, and current risks of infection. Interruption of transmission through vector control could influence age-specific severe malaria risk

Impact of Antimalarial Treatment and Chemoprevention on the Drug Sensitivity of Malaria Parasites Isolated from Ugandan Children

Changing treatment practices may be selecting for changes in the drug sensitivity of malaria parasites. We characterized ex vivo drug sensitivity and parasite polymorphisms associated with sensitivity in 459 Plasmodium falciparum samples obtained from subjects enrolled in two clinical trials in Tororo, Uganda, from 2010 to 2013. Sensitivities to chloroquine and monodesethylamodiaquine varied widely; sensitivities to quinine, dihydroartemisinin, lumefantrine, and piperaquine were generally good. Associations between ex vivo drug sensitivity and parasite polymorphisms included decreased chloroquine and monodesethylamodiaquine sensitivity and increased lumefantrine and piperaquine sensitivity with pfcrt 76T, as well as increased lumefantrine sensitivity with pfmdr1 86Y, Y184, and 1246Y. Over time, ex vivo sensitivity decreased for lumefantrine and piperaquine and increased for chloroquine, the prevalences of pfcrt K76 and pfmdr1 N86 and D1246 increased, and the prevalences of pfdhfr and pfdhps polymorphisms associated with antifolate resistance were unchanged. In recurrent infections, recent prior treatment with artemether-lumefantrine was associated with decreased ex vivo lumefantrine sensitivity and increased prevalence of pfcrt K76 and pfmdr1 N86, 184F, and D1246. In children assigned chemoprevention with monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine with documented circulating piperaquine, breakthrough infections had increased the prevalence of pfmdr1 86Y and 1246Y compared to untreated controls. The noted impacts of therapy and chemoprevention on parasite polymorphisms remained significant in multivariate analysis correcting for calendar time. Overall, changes in parasite sensitivity were consistent with altered selective pressures due to changing treatment practices in Uganda. These changes may threaten the antimalarial treatment and preventive efficacies of artemether-lumefantrine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, respectively

Impact of COVID-19 on routine malaria indicators in rural Uganda: an interrupted time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the government of Uganda implemented a strict lockdown policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) was performed to assess whether major changes in outpatient attendance, malaria burden, and case management occurred after the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic in rural Uganda. METHODS: Individual level data from all outpatient visits collected from April 2017 to March 2021 at 17 facilities were analysed. Outcomes included total outpatient visits, malaria cases, non-malarial visits, proportion of patients with suspected malaria, proportion of patients tested using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and proportion of malaria cases prescribed artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations and fractional regression was used to model count and proportion outcomes, respectively. Pre-COVID trends (April 2017-March 2020) were used to predict the'expected' trend in the absence of COVID-19 introduction. Effects of COVID-19 were estimated over two six-month COVID-19 time periods (April 2020-September 2020 and October 2020-March 2021) by dividing observed values by expected values, and expressed as ratios. RESULTS: A total of 1,442,737 outpatient visits were recorded. Malaria was suspected in 55.3% of visits and 98.8% of these had a malaria diagnostic test performed. ITSA showed no differences between observed and expected total outpatient visits, malaria cases, non-malarial visits, or proportion of visits with suspected malaria after COVID-19 onset. However, in the second six months of the COVID-19 time period, there was a smaller mean proportion of patients tested with RDTs compared to expected (relative prevalence ratio (RPR) = 0.87, CI (0.78-0.97)) and a smaller mean proportion of malaria cases prescribed AL (RPR = 0.94, CI (0.90-0.99)). CONCLUSIONS: In the first year after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Uganda, there were no major effects on malaria disease burden and indicators of case management at these 17 rural health facilities, except for a modest decrease in the proportion of RDTs used for malaria diagnosis and the mean proportion of malaria cases prescribed AL in the second half of the COVID-19 pandemic year. Continued surveillance will be essential to monitor for changes in trends in malaria indicators so that Uganda can quickly and flexibly respond to challenges imposed by COVID-19

Relationships between infection with Plasmodium falciparum during pregnancy, measures of placental malaria, and adverse birth outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy has been associated with maternal morbidity, placental malaria, and adverse birth outcomes. However, data are limited on the relationships between longitudinal measures of malaria during pregnancy, measures of placental malaria, and birth outcomes. METHODS: This is a nested observational study of data from a randomized controlled trial of intermittent preventive therapy during pregnancy among 282 participants with assessment of placental malaria and delivery outcomes. HIV-uninfected pregnant women were enrolled at 12-20 weeks of gestation. Symptomatic malaria during pregnancy was measured using passive surveillance and monthly detection of asymptomatic parasitaemia using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Placental malaria was defined as either the presence of parasites in placental blood by microscopy, detection of parasites in placental blood by LAMP, or histopathologic evidence of parasites or pigment. Adverse birth outcomes assessed included low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. RESULTS: The 282 women were divided into three groups representing increasing malaria burden during pregnancy. Fifty-two (18.4%) had no episodes of symptomatic malaria or asymptomatic parasitaemia during the pregnancy, 157 (55.7%) had low malaria burden (0-1 episodes of symptomatic malaria and < 50% of samples LAMP+), and 73 (25.9%) had high malaria burden during pregnancy (≥ 2 episodes of symptomatic malaria or ≥ 50% of samples LAMP+). Women with high malaria burden had increased risks of placental malaria by blood microscopy and LAMP [aRR 14.2 (1.80-111.6) and 4.06 (1.73-9.51), respectively], compared to the other two groups combined. Compared with women with no malaria exposure during pregnancy, the risk of placental malaria by histopathology was higher among low and high burden groups [aRR = 3.27 (1.32-8.12) and aRR = 7.07 (2.84-17.6), respectively]. Detection of placental parasites by any method was significantly associated with PTB [aRR 5.64 (1.46-21.8)], and with a trend towards increased risk for LBW and SGA irrespective of the level of malaria burden during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Higher malaria burden during pregnancy was associated with placental malaria and together with the detection of parasites in the placenta were associated with increased risk for adverse birth outcomes. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials Identifier NCT02163447

The impact of stopping and starting indoor residual spraying on malaria burden in Uganda.

The scale-up of malaria control efforts has led to marked reductions in malaria burden over the past twenty years, but progress has slowed. Implementation of indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticide, a proven vector control intervention, has been limited and difficult to sustain partly because questions remain on its added impact over widely accepted interventions such as bed nets. Using data from 14 enhanced surveillance health facilities in Uganda, a country with high bed net coverage yet high malaria burden, we estimate the impact of starting and stopping IRS on changes in malaria incidence. We show that stopping IRS was associated with a 5-fold increase in malaria incidence within 10 months, but reinstating IRS was associated with an over 5-fold decrease within 8 months. In areas where IRS was initiated and sustained, malaria incidence dropped by 85% after year 4. IRS could play a critical role in achieving global malaria targets, particularly in areas where progress has stalled

Impact of a package of diagnostic tools, clinical algorithm, and training and communication on outpatient acute fever case management in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The management of acute febrile illnesses places a heavy burden on clinical services in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Bacterial and viral aetiologies of acute fevers are often clinically indistinguishable and, in the absence of diagnostic tests, the 'just-in-case' use of antibiotics by many health workers has become common practice, which has an impact on drug-resistant infections. Our study aims to answer the following question: in patients with undifferentiated febrile illness presenting to outpatient clinics/peripheral health centres in LMICs, can we demonstrate an improvement in clinical outcomes and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescription over current practice by using a combination of simple, accurate diagnostic tests, clinical algorithms, and training and communication (intervention package)? METHODS: We designed a randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the impact of our intervention package on clinical outcomes and antibiotic prescription rates in acute febrile illnesses. Available, point-of-care, pathogen-specific and non-pathogen specific (host markers), rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) included in the intervention package were selected based on pre-defined criteria. Nine clinical study sites in six countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Uganda), which represent heterogeneous outpatient care settings, were selected. We considered the expected seasonal variations in the incidence of acute febrile illnesses across all the sites by ensuring a recruitment period of 12 months. A master protocol was developed and adapted for country-specific ethical submissions. Diagnostic algorithms and choice of RDTs acknowledged current data on aetiologies of acute febrile illnesses in each country. We included a qualitative evaluation of drivers and/or deterrents of uptake of new diagnostics and antibiotic use for acute febrile illnesses. Sample size estimations were based on historical site data of antibiotic prescription practices for malarial and non-malarial acute fevers. Overall, 9 semi-independent studies will enrol a minimum of 21,876 patients and an aggregate data meta-analysis will be conducted on completion. DISCUSSION: This study is expected to generate vital evidence needed to inform policy decisions on the role of rapid diagnostic tests in the clinical management of acute febrile illnesses, with a view to controlling the rise of antimicrobial resistance in LMICs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04081051 . Registered on 6 September 2019. Protocol version 1.4 dated 20 December 2019

Malaria illness mediated by anaemia lessens cognitive development in younger Ugandan children

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic falciparum malaria is associated with poorer cognitive performance in African schoolchildren and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria improves cognitive outcomes. However, the developmental benefits of chemoprevention in early childhood are unknown. Early child development was evaluated as a major outcome in an open-label, randomized, clinical trial of anti-malarial chemoprevention in an area of intense, year-round transmission in Uganda. METHODS: Infants were randomized to one of four treatment arms: no chemoprevention, daily trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, monthly sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine, or monthly dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (DP), to be given between enrollment (4–6 mos) and 24 months of age. Number of malaria episodes, anaemia (Hb < 10) and neurodevelopment [Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL)] were assessed at 2 years (N = 469) and at 3 years of age (N = 453); at enrollment 70 % were HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) and 30 % were HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU). RESULTS: DP was highly protective against malaria and anaemia, although trial arm was not associated with MSEL outcomes. Across all treatment arms, episodes of malarial illness were negatively predictive of MSEL cognitive performance both at 2 and 3 years of age (P = 0.02). This relationship was mediated by episodes of anaemia. This regression model was stronger for the HEU than for the HUU cohort. Compared to HUU, HEU was significantly poorer on MSEL receptive language development irrespective of malaria and anaemia (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Malaria with anaemia and HIV exposure are significant risk factors for poor early childhood neurodevelopment in malaria-endemic areas in rural Africa. Because of this, comprehensive and cost/effective intervention is needed for malaria prevention in very young children in these settings

Efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the setting of three different chemopreventive regimens.

BACKGROUND: The burden of malaria remains high for children in parts of Africa despite the use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). Chemoprevention has the potential of reducing the malaria burden; however, limited data exist on the efficacy and safety of anti-malarial therapy in the setting of chemoprevention. METHODS: 600 children 4-5 months of age were enrolled in Tororo, Uganda, an area of high transmission intensity. Participants were given ITNs, and caregivers instructed to bring their child to a study clinic whenever they were ill. Starting at six months of age, 579 were randomized to no chemoprevention, monthly sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), daily trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TS), or monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP). Study drugs were administered unsupervised at home until 24 months of age. Episodes of uncomplicated malaria were treated with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) with active follow-up for 28 days. The cumulative risk of recurrent malaria within 84 days and the risk of adverse events within 28 days were compared across study arms using a Cox proportional hazards model and generalized estimating equations, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 1007, 919, 736, and 451 episodes of malaria were treated in the no chemoprevention, SP, TS, and DP arms, respectively. Only 19 (0.6%) treatments were for severe malaria. Early response to therapy with AL was excellent with 96.5% fever clearance and 99.4% parasite clearance by day 3. However, over 50% of AL treatments were followed by recurrent parasitaemia within 28 days. Compared to the no chemoprevention arm, the cumulative risk of recurrent malaria within 84 days following treatment of uncomplicated malaria with AL was significantly lower in the DP arm (HR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.95, p = 0.01) but not the SP or TS arms. Compared to the no chemoprevention arm, none of the chemopreventive regimens were associated with an increased risk of adverse events following treatment of malaria with AL. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of severe malaria was very low in this cohort of young children living in a high transmission setting. In the setting of chemoprevention, treatment of uncomplicated malaria with AL was safe and efficacious, with moderate protection against recurrent malaria among children assigned monthly DP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00948896