scholarly journals Mapping routine malaria incidence at village level for targeted control in Papua New Guinea

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Rodríguez-Rodríguez ◽  
Seri Maraga ◽  
Sharon Jamea-Maiasa ◽  
Anthony Tandrapah ◽  
Leo Makita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Surveillance ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Surveillance And Response ◽  
Animated Maps ◽  
Response Systems ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Video Format

Malaria surveillance and response-systems are essential for identifying the areas most affected by malaria and for targeting interventions and optimising resources. This study aimed to assess whether the visualisation of routinely collected health facility data linked to village of residence provides evidence for targeting control interventions in four sentinel health facilities in Papua New Guinea. A video format was used to visualise the dynamics in case incidence over time and space alongside photographs illustrating the context of the data collection in the study sites. Incidence changes overtime were illustrated in animated maps. Despite limitations, this approach appeared useful in sites with very few remaining cases or with increasingly marked heterogeneity. Villages that could benefit from targeted interventions or investigations were identified.

Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate to Ficus hahliana attracts predators of insects along an altitudinal gradient in Papua New Guinea

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
Anna Mrazova ◽  
Katerina Sam
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Methyl Jasmonate ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Plant Defence ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Leaf Damage ◽  
Herbivorous Insect ◽  
Study Sites

AbstractIn many plants, the defence systems against herbivores are induced, and may be involved in recruiting the natural enemies of herbivores. We used methyl jasmonate, a well-known inducer of plant defence responses, to manipulate the chemistry of Ficus hahliana along a tropical altitudinal gradient in order to test its ability to attract the enemies of herbivores. We examined whether chemical signals from MeJA-treated trees (simulating leaf damage by herbivores) attracted insect enemies in the complex settings of a tropical forest; and how this ability changes with altitude, where the communities of predators differ naturally. We conducted the research at four study sites (200, 700, 1700 and 2700 m asl) of Mt Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea. Using dummy plasticine caterpillars to assess predation on herbivorous insect, we showed that, on average, inducing plant defences with jasmonic acid in this tropical forest increases predation twofold (i.e. caterpillars exposed on MeJA-sprayed trees were attacked twice as often as caterpillars exposed on control trees). The predation rate on control trees decreased with increasing altitude from 20.2% d−1 at 200 m asl to 4.7% d−1 at 2700 m asl. Predation on MeJA-treated trees peaked at 700 m (52.3% d−1) and decreased to 20.8% d−1 at 2700 m asl. Arthropod predators (i.e. ants and wasps) caused relatively more attacks in the lowlands (200–700 m asl), while birds became the dominant predators above 1700 m asl. The predation pressure from birds and arthropods corresponded with their relative abundances, but not with their species richness. Our study found a connection between chemically induced defence in plants and their attractivity to predators of herbivorous insect in the tropics.

scholarly journals Risk factors and knowledge associated with high unintended pregnancy rates and low family planning use among pregnant women in Papua New Guinea

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Peach ◽  
Christopher Morgan ◽  
Michelle J. L. Scoullar ◽  
Freya J. I. Fowkes ◽  
Elissa Kennedy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Male Partner ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Male Partner Involvement ◽  
Unintended Pregnancies ◽  
Partner Involvement

AbstractUnintended pregnancy is a major driver of poor maternal and child health in resource-limited settings. Data on pregnancy intention and use of family planning (FP) is scarce in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but are needed to inform public health strategies to improve FP accessibility and uptake. Data from a facility-based cross-sectional sample of 699 pregnant women assessed prevalence and predictors of unintended pregnancy and modern FP use among pregnant women in East New Britain Province, PNG. More than half (55%) the women reported their pregnancy as unintended. Few (18%) reported ever having used a modern FP method, and knowledge of different methods was low. Being single, separated or divorced (AOR 9.66; 95% CI 3.27–28.54), educated to a tertiary or vocational level (AOR 1.78 CI 1.15–2.73), and gravidity > 1 (AOR 1.43 for each additional pregnancy CI 1.29–1.59) were associated with unintended pregnancy; being accompanied by a male partner to ANC was associated with a reduced unintended pregnancy (0.46 CI 0.30–0.73). Factors associated with modern FP use included male partner involvement (AOR 2.26 CI 1.39–3.67) and gravidity > 1 (AOR 1.54 for each additional pregnancy CI 1.36–1.74). FP use also varied by the facility women attended. Findings highlight an urgent need for targeted interventions to improve FP knowledge, uptake and access, and male partner involvement, to reduce unintended pregnancies and their complications.

scholarly journals Repeated mosquito net distributions, improved treatment, and trends in malaria cases in sentinel health facilities in Papua New Guinea

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Rodriguez-Rodriguez ◽  
Seri Maraga ◽  
Lina Lorry ◽  
Leanne J. Robinson ◽  
Peter M. Siba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Prevalence ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Mosquito Net ◽  
Incidence Trends ◽  
Outdoor Biting

Abstract Background Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN), improved diagnosis and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) have reduced malaria prevalence in Papua New Guinea since 2008. Yet, national incidence trends are inconclusive due to confounding effects of the scale-up of rapid diagnostic tests, and inconsistencies in routine reporting. Methods Malaria trends and their association with LLIN and ACT roll-out between 2010 and 2014 in seven sentinel health facilities were analysed. The analysis included 35,329 fever patients. Intervention effects were estimated using regression models. Results Malaria incidence initially ranged from 20 to 115/1000 population; subsequent trends varied by site. Overall, LLIN distributions had a cumulative effect, reducing the number of malaria cases with each round (incidence rate ratio ranging from 0.12 to 0.53 in five sites). No significant reduction was associated with ACT introduction. Plasmodium falciparum remained the dominant parasite in all sentinel health facilities. Resurgence occurred in one site in which a shift to early and outdoor biting of anophelines had previously been documented. Conclusions LLINs, but not ACT, were associated with reductions of malaria cases in a range of settings, but sustainability of the gains appear to depend on local factors. Malaria programmes covering diverse transmission settings such as Papua New Guinea must consider local heterogeneity when choosing interventions and ensure continuous monitoring of trends.

Cyclic patterns of cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea for the years 1987–1996

2013 ◽  
Vol 141 (11) ◽  
pp. 2317-2327 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. DIMITROV ◽  
D. VALEV ◽  
R. WERNER ◽  
P. A. ATANASSOVA
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Malaria ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Cyclic Patterns ◽  
Environment Temperature ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
And Control ◽  
Parametric Regression Models ◽  
Annual Period

SUMMARYData on the dynamics of malaria incidence, admissions and mortality and their best possible description are very important to better forecast and assess the implementation of programmes to register, monitor (e.g. by remote sensing) and control the disease, especially in endemic zones. Semi-annual and seasonal cycles in malaria rates have been observed in various countries and close similarity with cycles in the natural environment (temperature, heliogeophysical activity, etc.), host immunity and/or virulence of the parasite suggested. This study aimed at confirming previous results on malaria cyclicity by exploring whether trans-year and/or multiannual cycles might exist. The exploration of underlying chronomes (time structures) was done with raw data (without smoothing) by linear and nonlinear parametric regression models, autocorrelation, spectral (Fourier) and periodogram regression analysis. The strongest cyclical patterns of detrended malaria admissions were (i) annual period of 1·0 year (12 months or seasonality); (ii) quasi-biennial cycle of about 2·25 years; and (iii) infrannual, circadecennial cycle of about 10·3 years. The seasonal maximum occurred in May with the minimum in September. Notably, these cycles corresponded to similar cyclic components of heliogeophysical activity such as sunspot seasonality and solar activity cyclicities and well-known climate/weather oscillations. Further analyses are thus warranted to investigate such similarities. In conclusion, multicomponent cyclical dynamics of cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea were observed thus allowing more specific analyses and modelling as well as correlations with environmental factors of similar cyclicity to be explored. Such further results might also contribute to and provide more precise estimates for the forecasting and prevention, as well as the better understanding, of the dynamics and aetiology of this vector-borne disease.

scholarly journals Investigating differences in village-level heterogeneity of malaria infection and household risk factors in Papua New Guinea

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Desmond Gul ◽  
Daniela Rodríguez-Rodríguez ◽  
Elma Nate ◽  
Alma Auwan ◽  
Mary Salib ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Spatial Heterogeneity ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Malaria Prevalence ◽  
Malaria Risk ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Spatial Risk

AbstractMalaria risk is highly heterogeneous. Understanding village and household-level spatial heterogeneity of malaria risk can support a transition to spatially targeted interventions for malaria elimination. This analysis uses data from cross-sectional prevalence surveys conducted in 2014 and 2016 in two villages (Megiar and Mirap) in Papua New Guinea. Generalised additive modelling was used to characterise spatial heterogeneity of malaria risk and investigate the contribution of individual, household and environmental-level risk factors. Following a period of declining malaria prevalence, the prevalence of P. falciparum increased from 11.4 to 19.1% in Megiar and 12.3 to 28.3% in Mirap between 2014 and 2016, with focal hotspots observed in these villages in 2014 and expanding in 2016. Prevalence of P. vivax was similar in both years (20.6% and 18.3% in Megiar, 22.1% and 23.4% in Mirap) and spatial risk heterogeneity was less apparent compared to P. falciparum. Within-village hotspots varied by Plasmodium species across time and between villages. In Megiar, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of infection could be partially explained by household factors that increase risk of vector exposure, such as collecting outdoor surface water as a main source of water. In Mirap, increased AOR overlapped with proximity to densely vegetated areas of the village. The identification of household and environmental factors associated with increased spatial risk may serve as useful indicators of transmission hotspots and inform the development of tailored approaches for malaria control.

scholarly journals Nonrandom Selection and Multiple Blood Feeding of Human Hosts by Anopheles Vectors: Implications for Malaria Transmission in Papua New Guinea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Keven ◽  
Michelle Katusele ◽  
Rebecca Vinit ◽  
Daniela Rodríguez-Rodríguez ◽  
Manuel W. Hetzel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Transmission ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Multiple Blood ◽  
Genetic Profiles ◽  
Blood Meals

Nonrandom selection and multiple blood feeding of human hosts by Anopheles mosquitoes may exacerbate malaria transmission. Both patterns of blood feeding and their relationship to malaria epidemiology were investigated in Anopheles vectors in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Blood samples from humans and mosquito blood meals were collected in villages and human genetic profiles (“fingerprints”) were analyzed by genotyping 23 microsatellites and a sex-specific marker. Frequency of blood meals acquired from different humans, identified by unique genetic profiles, was fitted to Poisson and negative binomial distributions to test for nonrandom patterns of host selection. Blood meals with more than one genetic profiles were classified as mosquitoes that fed on multiple humans. The age of a person bitten by a mosquito was determined by matching the blood-meal genetic profile to the villagers’ genetic profiles. Malaria infection in humans was determined by PCR test of blood samples. The results show nonrandom distribution of blood feeding among humans, with biased selection toward males and individuals aged 15–30 years. Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection was higher in this age group, suggesting males in this age range could be super-spreaders of malaria parasites. The proportion of mosquitoes that fed on multiple humans ranged from 6% to 13% among villages. The patterns of host utilization observed here can amplify transmission and contribute to the persistence of malaria in PNG despite efforts to suppress it with insecticidal bed nets. Excessive feeding on males aged 15–30 years underscores the importance of targeted interventions focusing on this demographic group.

Public Health in Papua New Guinea

1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Denoon ◽  
Kathleen Dugan ◽  
Leslie Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea

Papua New Guinea: Searching for a Fit Between Child, Culture, and School

1984 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 786-788
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Greenfield
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Child Culture
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