Журнал бактериологии и паразитологии

Абстрактный

Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia among exclusively breastfed infants aged 0 to 6 months in the Ouidah-Kpomassé-Tori-Bossito health region of Benin

Sissinto-Savi de Tove Y1, Oguyemi-Unto A1, Alao MJ2, Hunkpatin A3, Khonsou M3, Quintin D1, Bankole P1, Adeoti A1, Fassinou C1, Adomahou D1, Adisso L1, Nama Medua G5, El-Kuri K6, Amoussou Genou K4, MassougbodjiA1 and Kinde Ghazar D1

Several studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding reduces susceptibility to malaria. The objective of this study was to assess Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) parasitemia in exclusively breastfed infants <6 months of age in southern Benin. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 from February to August. We randomly selected 106 exclusively breastfed infants aged 0–6 months in the Ouidah-Kpomassé-Tori-Bossito (OKT) health region of southern Benin. A 24-hour recall method was used to identify exclusively breastfed infants. Plasmodium was detected using thick film, blood smear, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mean age of the infants was 2.2 months. The sex ratio (M/F) was 1. The prevalence of P. falciparum malaria was 0.9%. One child had fever and positive gametocyte parasitemia confirmed by PCR at cycle threshold 27 (Ct). The child was 4.2 months old and slept under a mosquito net. There was no asymptomatic parasitemia among all children. The prevalence of P. falciparum parasitemia in exclusively breastfed children, which was lower than the average prevalence in southern Benin, should be encouraged and breastfeeding practices strengthened. Future studies with objective measurement of breast milk may help to better classify exclusive breastfeeding.