Epidemiological Factors Determining Clinical Malaria in the Highlands of Western Kenya: Case Study of Iguhu Location

Abstract

This paper reports findings on the prevailing “epidemiological factors that determine occurrence of clinical malaria in the highlands of western Kenya, a case study of Iguhu location.In this study, the risk factors associated with clinical malaria in western Kenya highlands were evaluated. A simple household survey of existing clinical malaria cases and their age-matched cohorts was undertaken to collect information on the potential exposure factors and prevailing socio-economic status. Mosquito samples were harvested from participants’ houses for identification and cataloging. The differences in parasite and vector populations in clinical malaria cases and controls were determined using the “t-test”. The results showed that sex, age, household population, education level and occupation status of the household head were not significant determinants for clinical malaria in the area of study. These was in contrast, to families whose spouses were employed and educated to tertiary level that exhibited lower infections rates since they had used insecticide treated nets (ITNs) prophylaxis and mosquito prevention measures. These significantly reduced the disease incidence suggesting that socio economic factors played a role in the ailment control. These findings show that clinical malaria incidence in western Kenya highlands is likely to be influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors including parasite and vector densities suggesting that any successful eradication program should be directed towards prevailing local conditions in a given area.