KESHAVARZ-VALIAN H, JANGHORBANI M. THE EFFICIENCY OF A MALARIA SCREENING PROGRAM AMONG AFGHAN REFUGEES IN KERMAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. Med J Islam Repub Iran 1994; 8 (2) :81-85
URL:
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-1383-en.html
From the Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract: (4584 Views)
Evaluation of a malaria screening program was carried out in two screened
Afghan refugee camps in Bardsir and Rafsanjan and compared to non-screened
Afghan refugees within Kerman, as well as refugees with malaria diagnosed by
Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Laboratories in Kennan and Rafsanjan, by
parasitological blood examinations. The study involved 456 residents of two refugee
camps and random samples of 512 refugees in the Kerman Bus Tenninal and 1300
persons referred to Kerman and Rafsanjan CDC laboratories, aged from 1 to 70 years.
Malaria was found in 403 (l7.H%) of the persons examined. Plasmodium vivax
was identified in XS.I %, Plasmodiumfalciparum in 13.6% and mixed infection due
to both of these species was found in 1.3% of the cases. The prevalence of parasitemia
in screened camps was 4 times lower than non-screened active cases detected.
A comparison of age-specific rates of malaria in screened and non-screened
Afghan refugees indicated that screening programs are highly effective. The Afghan
refugees bring high infection loads with them from outside and cause an out break
of the infection, particularly in areas of [ran where malaria is under control.
Therefore, malaria control in Afghan refugees in Iran should be primarily based on
curative as well as preventive measures.