Drug Resistance Among Asymptomatic Infection

Although malaria prevalence is decreasing in Myanmar, drug resistance threatens the malaria elimination by 2030 especially high risk persons including migrant population. Previous study indicated that asymptomatic malaria parasite carried drug resistance gene such as K13 mutant that is genetically responsible for artemisinin resistant falciparum malaria. These asymptomatic carries may be a source to spread the disease and it is very important to conduct the surveillance on drug resistance status among high vulnerable persons. Unfortunately, there is no study to assess the drug resistance molecular markers in asymptomatic malaria among migrant workers in Myanmar. Therefore, this study fulfills the gaps of knowledge on important of asymptomatic hidden infection exploring to formulate the recommendation for elimination of malaria in Myanmar.

In this study, asymptomatic infections are screened by rapid diagnostic test, microscopy and molecular methods.

Inclusion criteria

• Age above 6 year
• Migrant population (moving from their normal residence place and working at a new place such as forest related activities, gold-mines or plantation sites for more than 3 months- 3 years)
• Both sex
• Participant who give informed-consent to participate the study

Exclusion criteria

• Known clinical malaria cases regardless of the species detected
• Patients with clinical symptoms of malaria at the time of examination
• Known history of malaria within 14 days