The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria

Objectives. Data on the coinfection of malaria and COVID-19 is highly limited especially in Africa due to the novel nature of the pandemic COVID-19. Malaria and COVID-19 share striking similarities in their symptoms. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to investigate the role of sex in...

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Main Authors: E. O. Onosakponome, M. N. Wogu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Parasitology Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8829848
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author E. O. Onosakponome
M. N. Wogu
author_facet E. O. Onosakponome
M. N. Wogu
author_sort E. O. Onosakponome
collection DOAJ
description Objectives. Data on the coinfection of malaria and COVID-19 is highly limited especially in Africa due to the novel nature of the pandemic COVID-19. Malaria and COVID-19 share striking similarities in their symptoms. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to investigate the role of sex in the coinfection of malaria and COVID-19 as well as some associated factors in Rivers State, Nigeria. Methods. Ethical approval was obtained from the Rivers State Health and Ethics Committee before the commencement of this study, and the study was conducted at the COVID-19 Treatment Center Medical Laboratory, Rivers State, Nigeria. Intravenous blood samples from three hundred randomly selected consenting study participants were examined for Plasmodium species using Giemsa microscopy, while pretested questionnaires were used to obtain data on sex, risk factors, and symptoms. All data generated were analyzed statistically using the Chi-square test with a P<0.05 value considered significant. Results. All study participants had Plasmodium species (100% prevalence) with varying parasite loads, and P. falciparum was the only species observed. Study participants (irrespective of sex) with low and high parasitaemia had the highest and least prevalence, respectively (P>0.05). Male study participants experienced more symptoms than females (P>0.05) except for sore throat which had an equal value among males and females. Travel history was the only risk factor that showed significant association with sex, and males had a higher value than females (P<0.05). Conclusion. Malaria and COVID-19 are major public health issues in Nigeria; more researches on these diseases especially in epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine production are vital.
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spelling doaj-art-98fc48a77b7d4b2c80ea6d9e32d653552025-08-20T03:37:05ZengWileyJournal of Parasitology Research2090-00232090-00312020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88298488829848The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, NigeriaE. O. Onosakponome0M. N. Wogu1Department of Medical Laboratory Science, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, NigeriaDepartment of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, NigeriaObjectives. Data on the coinfection of malaria and COVID-19 is highly limited especially in Africa due to the novel nature of the pandemic COVID-19. Malaria and COVID-19 share striking similarities in their symptoms. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to investigate the role of sex in the coinfection of malaria and COVID-19 as well as some associated factors in Rivers State, Nigeria. Methods. Ethical approval was obtained from the Rivers State Health and Ethics Committee before the commencement of this study, and the study was conducted at the COVID-19 Treatment Center Medical Laboratory, Rivers State, Nigeria. Intravenous blood samples from three hundred randomly selected consenting study participants were examined for Plasmodium species using Giemsa microscopy, while pretested questionnaires were used to obtain data on sex, risk factors, and symptoms. All data generated were analyzed statistically using the Chi-square test with a P<0.05 value considered significant. Results. All study participants had Plasmodium species (100% prevalence) with varying parasite loads, and P. falciparum was the only species observed. Study participants (irrespective of sex) with low and high parasitaemia had the highest and least prevalence, respectively (P>0.05). Male study participants experienced more symptoms than females (P>0.05) except for sore throat which had an equal value among males and females. Travel history was the only risk factor that showed significant association with sex, and males had a higher value than females (P<0.05). Conclusion. Malaria and COVID-19 are major public health issues in Nigeria; more researches on these diseases especially in epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine production are vital.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8829848
spellingShingle E. O. Onosakponome
M. N. Wogu
The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
Journal of Parasitology Research
title The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_full The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_fullStr The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_short The Role of Sex in Malaria-COVID19 Coinfection and Some Associated Factors in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_sort role of sex in malaria covid19 coinfection and some associated factors in rivers state nigeria
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8829848
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