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Table 3 Predictors of gametocyte carriage among individuals PCR-positive for P. falciparum, n = 219

From: High prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte infections in school-age children using molecular detection: patterns and predictors of risk from a cross-sectional study in southern Malawi

 

n

Gametocytemic n (%)

Unadjusted POR (95% CI)

Adjusted POR (95% CI)a

Season

Dry, 2012

52

22 (42.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Rainy, 2013

167

77 (46.1%)

1.17 (0.62–2.19)

1.35 (0.70–2.62)

EA transmission intensity b

Low

22

10 (45.5%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Medium

93

44 (47.3%)

1.08 (0.42–2.74)

1.13 (0.42–3.00)

High

104

45 (43.3%)

0.92 (0.36–2.31)

0.69 (0.26–1.85)

Age

Young children, 6 months to <5 years old

21

9 (42.9%)

1.67 (0.61–4.54)

1.72 (0.62–4.79)

School-age children, 5–15 years old

127

68 (53.5%)

2.57 (1.39–4.73)

2.77 (1.47–5.19)

Adults, ≥16 years old

71

22 (31.0%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Household construction

Finished

76

28 (36.8%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Unfinished

143

71 (49.7%)

1.69 (0.96–2.99)

2.24 (1.16–4.31)

Bednet use

Slept under a net previous night

137

66 (48.2%)

1.86 (0.60–5.72)

2.12 (0.65–6.95)

Net available but not used

67

28 (41.8%)

1.44 (0.44–4.66)

1.30 (0.38–4.52)

No nets in household

15

5 (33.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

SES quartile

Lowest

60

35 (58.3%)

2.80 (0.93–8.46)

2.18 (0.64–7.40)

2nd

74

29 (39.2%)

1.29 (0.44–3.82)

0.99 (0.29–3.35)

3rd

67

29 (43.3%)

1.53 (0.51–4.55)

1.30 (0.41–4.16)

Highest

18

6 (33.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Eaves

Closed

150

65 (43.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Open

69

34 (49.3%)

1.27 (0.72–2.25)

1.24 (0.64–2.43)

Fever in previous 2 weeks

Yes

36

18 (50.0%)

1.26 (0.62–2.58)

1.35 (0.63–2.86)

No

183

81 (44.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Any antimalarial taken in previous 2 weeks c

Yes

8

3 (37.5%)

0.72 (0.17–3.09)

0.54 (0.12–2.38)

No

211

96 (45.5%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

IRS in previous year

Yes

31

17 (54.8%)

1.53 (0.71–3.28)

1.49 (0.54–4.10)

No

185

82 (44.3%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Sex

Male

91

44 (48.4%)

1.24 (0.72–2.13)

1.15 (0.66–2.03)

Female

128

55 (43.0%)

1.00 (ref)

1.00 (ref)

Parasite densityd

215

N/A

1.01 (0.99–1.03)

1.01 (0.99–1.03)

  1. CI confidence interval; IRS indoor residual spraying; PCR polymerase chain reaction; POR Prevalence odds ratio; SES Socioeconomic status
  2. Italized values are those where the 95% CI does not contain 1.0
  3. aAdjusted for season, EA transmission intensity, age category, and household characteristics (finished vs. unfinished)
  4. bTertiles of parasite prevalence established for all 30 EAs from the first survey (rainy season 2012) data were used as a proxy estimate of transmission intensity in the EA. See "Methods" section for details
  5. cAntimalarials included were lumefantrine-artemether, chloroquine, quinine, or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine
  6. dParasite density was estimated by microscopy. The POR was reported per 1000 parasite/µL increase in estimated parasitemia