Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
Abstract Background Larval source management strategies can play an important role in malaria elimination programmes, especially for tackling outdoor biting species and for eliminating parasite and vector populations when they are most vulnerable during the dry season. Effective larval source manage...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-0652-5 |
| _version_ | 1797811883831459840 |
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| author | Andrew Hardy Zawadi Mageni Stefan Dongus Gerry Killeen Mark G Macklin Silas Majambare Abdullah Ali Mwinyi Msellem Abdul-Wahiyd Al-Mafazy Mark Smith Chris Thomas |
| author_facet | Andrew Hardy Zawadi Mageni Stefan Dongus Gerry Killeen Mark G Macklin Silas Majambare Abdullah Ali Mwinyi Msellem Abdul-Wahiyd Al-Mafazy Mark Smith Chris Thomas |
| author_sort | Andrew Hardy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Larval source management strategies can play an important role in malaria elimination programmes, especially for tackling outdoor biting species and for eliminating parasite and vector populations when they are most vulnerable during the dry season. Effective larval source management requires tools for identifying geographic foci of vector proliferation and malaria transmission where these efforts may be concentrated. Previous studies have relied on surface topographic wetness to indicate hydrological potential for vector breeding sites, but this is unsuitable for karst (limestone) landscapes such as Zanzibar where water flow, especially in the dry season, is subterranean and not controlled by surface topography. Methods We examine the relationship between dry and wet season spatial patterns of diagnostic positivity rates of malaria infection amongst patients reporting to health facilities on Unguja, Zanzibar, with the physical geography of the island, including land cover, elevation, slope angle, hydrology, geology and geomorphology in order to identify transmission hot spots using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) analysis. Results The distribution of both wet and dry season malaria infection rates can be predicted using freely available static data, such as elevation and geology. Specifically, high infection rates in the central and southeast regions of the island coincide with outcrops of hard dense limestone which cause locally elevated water tables and the location of dolines (shallow depressions plugged with fine-grained material promoting the persistence of shallow water bodies). Conclusions This analysis provides a tractable tool for the identification of malaria hotspots which incorporates subterranean hydrology, which can be used to target larval source management strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:30:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ad2868cee0d4d8abdc487e384e453de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:30:23Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ad2868cee0d4d8abdc487e384e453de2023-06-04T11:09:39ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052015-01-018111510.1186/s13071-015-0652-5Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of TanzaniaAndrew Hardy0Zawadi Mageni1Stefan Dongus2Gerry Killeen3Mark G Macklin4Silas Majambare5Abdullah Ali6Mwinyi Msellem7Abdul-Wahiyd Al-Mafazy8Mark Smith9Chris Thomas10Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health InstituteDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health InstituteDepartment of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health InstituteZanzibar Malaria Elimination ProgramZanzibar Malaria Elimination ProgramZanzibar Malaria Elimination ProgramSchool of Geography, University of LeedsInstitute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAbstract Background Larval source management strategies can play an important role in malaria elimination programmes, especially for tackling outdoor biting species and for eliminating parasite and vector populations when they are most vulnerable during the dry season. Effective larval source management requires tools for identifying geographic foci of vector proliferation and malaria transmission where these efforts may be concentrated. Previous studies have relied on surface topographic wetness to indicate hydrological potential for vector breeding sites, but this is unsuitable for karst (limestone) landscapes such as Zanzibar where water flow, especially in the dry season, is subterranean and not controlled by surface topography. Methods We examine the relationship between dry and wet season spatial patterns of diagnostic positivity rates of malaria infection amongst patients reporting to health facilities on Unguja, Zanzibar, with the physical geography of the island, including land cover, elevation, slope angle, hydrology, geology and geomorphology in order to identify transmission hot spots using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) analysis. Results The distribution of both wet and dry season malaria infection rates can be predicted using freely available static data, such as elevation and geology. Specifically, high infection rates in the central and southeast regions of the island coincide with outcrops of hard dense limestone which cause locally elevated water tables and the location of dolines (shallow depressions plugged with fine-grained material promoting the persistence of shallow water bodies). Conclusions This analysis provides a tractable tool for the identification of malaria hotspots which incorporates subterranean hydrology, which can be used to target larval source management strategies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-0652-5Mosquito breeding habitatMalariaLarval source managementHydrologyGeomorphologyGeology |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Hardy Zawadi Mageni Stefan Dongus Gerry Killeen Mark G Macklin Silas Majambare Abdullah Ali Mwinyi Msellem Abdul-Wahiyd Al-Mafazy Mark Smith Chris Thomas Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania Parasites & Vectors Mosquito breeding habitat Malaria Larval source management Hydrology Geomorphology Geology |
| title | Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania |
| title_full | Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania |
| title_short | Mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre-existing hydrology, geology and geomorphology data in the pre-elimination context of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania |
| title_sort | mapping hotspots of malaria transmission from pre existing hydrology geology and geomorphology data in the pre elimination context of zanzibar united republic of tanzania |
| topic | Mosquito breeding habitat Malaria Larval source management Hydrology Geomorphology Geology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-0652-5 |
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