Publication: Seasonal fluctuations in the carriage of Plasmodium vivax gametocytes in Thailand
Issued Date
2004-03-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00034983
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-1642413247
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology. Vol.98, No.2 (2004), 115-120
Suggested Citation
M. Nacher, V. I. Carrara, R. McGready, E. Ashley, J. V. Nguen, K. L. Thwai, S. Looareesuwan, F. Nosten Seasonal fluctuations in the carriage of Plasmodium vivax gametocytes in Thailand. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology. Vol.98, No.2 (2004), 115-120. doi:10.1179/000349804225003145 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/21401
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Title
Seasonal fluctuations in the carriage of Plasmodium vivax gametocytes in Thailand
Abstract
To study the influence of season on Plasmodium vivax gametocyte carriage, the relationship between monthly rainfall and the proportion of P. vivax patients with detectable gametocytaemia was analysed. Most of the data used came from 6807 aggregated observations collected, in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burmese border, between January 2000 and December 2002. There was a positive correlation between rainfall and the incidence of P. vivax infection (Spearman's rho = +0.42; P = 0.01) but the prevalence of gametocyte carriage among those with P. vivax infection was negatively correlated with rainfall (Spearman's rho = -0.58; P < 0.001). The latter, negative correlation remained significant after controlling for the proportion of visitors relative to camp residents (P = 0.003). Migrations, changes in transmission patterns, seasonal haematological changes, and ultraviolet immunosuppression are discussed as potential explanations for these observations.