Malaria Transmission Among Seasonal Migrant Agricultural Workers In Metema District, Northwestern Ethiopia: An Entomological And Parasitological Surveys

Abstract

Seasonal Migrant Workers, Who Move Between Areas With Low And High Malaria Risks For Agricultural Work, Are Potential High-Risk Groups For Infection And Can Fuel Transmission Dynamics. Hence, The Aim Of This Study Was To Investigate Malaria Transmission Among Seasonal Migrant Agricultural Workers In The Metema District, Northwestern Ethiopia. A Targeted Parasite Survey And Entomological Assessments Were Conducted In Major (September To December, 2022) And Minor (March To May 2023) Malaria Transmission Seasons. A Total Of 1597 Individuals Wereenrolled And Tested To Estimate The Prevalence Of Malaria Cases Using Rapid Diagnostic Tests(Rdt) And Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (Qpcr). Dried Blood Spots (Dbs) Were Collected, And Dna Was Extracted Using Chelex To Detect Malaria Infection Using 18s Ribosomal Rna Gene-Based Qpcr. Hourly Centers For Disease Control (Cdc) Light Trap Collections Coupledwith Human Behavior Observations (Hbo) Were Conducted Around The Farm Areas Where Targeted Parasite Survey Was Taking Place. Morphologically Identified 266 Anopheline Specimensunderwent Dna Sequencing Targeting Internal Transcribed Spacer Region 2 (Its2) And Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1(Cox1) Genes For Species Confirmation. The Finding Of This Study Showed That The Prevalence Of Malaria Infection Among Seasonal Migrant Agricultural Workers Was 23.2% (371/1597) And 38.3% (612/1597) By Rdt And Qpcr, Respectively. Among Positive Cases Identified, P. Falciparum Was The Most Prevalent Species (21.3% By Rdt And 34.4% By Qpcrs), Followed By P. Vivax (1.3% By Rdt And 2.3% By Qpcrs). Only 8.02% Of Seasonal Migrant Workers Possessed Llins. A Total Of 532 Mosquitoes Belonging To 10 Species Were Molecularly Confirmed, With Anopheles Arabiensis (76.69%) As The Primary Malaria Vector.Approximately 71% Of Human Exposure To Mosquito Bites Happened Outdoors (Awake Or Asleep Without Bed Nets). Agricultural Migrant Workers Were Exposed To Storms For Malaria Transmission: Low Llin Use, High Prevalence Of Malaria, And High Levels Of Outdoor Exposure To Mosquito Bites. Thus, Preventing Malaria In Mobile Populations Requires Multi-Pronged Action. These Could Include Boost Llins, Shield Outdoor Exposure (Like Mosquito Repellents), And Vectors To Protect Migrant Workers And Their Communities From Malaria's Ongoing Threat.