Efficacy of Focal Primaquine Mass Administration for Eliminating Malaria in Northern Myanmar: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

Background: poses a major challenge for malaria elimination, primarily because of relapse. Primaquine mass drug administration (PQ-MDA) has played a decisive role in eliminating vivax malaria in many temperate countries, but its efficacy in tropical/subtropical areas remains underexplored.

Methods: We conducted a cluster-randomized crossover trial to determine the effect of PQ-MDA on transmission in northern Myanmar, a subtropical area in the Greater Mekong subregion with perennial malaria transmission.

Factors hindering coverage of targeted mass treatment with primaquine in a malarious township of northern Myanmar in 2019-2020.

Targeted mass primaquine treatment (TPT) might be an effective intervention to facilitate elimination of vivax malaria in Myanmar by 2030. In this study, we explored the factors hindering coverage of a TPT campaign conducted in a malarious township of northern Myanmar. From August 2019 to July 2020, a cross-sectional exploratory design including quantitative and qualitative data was conducted in five villages with high P.

Spatio-temporal trends of malaria incidence from 2011 to 2017 and environmental predictors of malaria transmission in Myanmar.

Background: Myanmar bears the heaviest malaria burden in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). This study assessed the spatio-temporal dynamics and environmental predictors of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria in Myanmar.

Methods: Monthly reports of malaria cases at primary health centers during 2011-2017 were analyzed to describe malaria distribution across Myanmar at the township and state/region levels by spatial autocorrelation (Moran index) and spatio-temporal clustering.

The acceptability of targeted mass treatment with primaquine for local elimination of vivax malaria in a northern Myanmar township: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Radical cure of the Plasmodium vivax latent liver stage is required to effectively manage vivax malaria. Targeted mass treatment with primaquine may be an effective mechanism for reducing reservoirs of the disease. Since community engagement and high coverage are essential for mass treatment programs, this study aimed to determine the acceptability of mass primaquine treatment in a targeted community in a northern Myanmar township.

Health education through mass media announcements by loudspeakers about malaria care: prevention and practice among people living in a malaria endemic area of northern Myanmar.

Background: Interventions to raise community awareness about malaria prevention and treatment have used various approaches with little evidence on their efficacy. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of loudspeaker announcements regarding malaria care and prevention practices among people living in the malaria endemic villages of Banmauk Township, Sagaing Region, Myanmar.

Methods: Four villages among the most malaria-burdened areas were randomly selected: two villages were assigned as the intervention group, and two as the control.

Genetic Variations Associated with Drug Resistance Markers in Asymptomatic Infections in Myanmar.

The emergence and spread of drug resistance is a problem hindering malaria elimination in Southeast Asia. In this study, genetic variations in drug resistance markers of were determined in parasites from asymptomatic populations located in three geographically dispersed townships of Myanmar by PCR and sequencing. Mutations in dihydrofolate reductase (), dihydropteroate synthase (), chloroquine resistance transporter (), multidrug resistance protein 1 (), multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (), and Kelch protein 13 () were present in 92.

Geographical heterogeneity in prevalence of subclinical malaria infections at sentinel endemic sites of Myanmar.

Background: The malaria burden of Myanmar still remains high within the Greater Mekong Subregion of Southeast Asia. An important indicator of progress towards malaria elimination is the prevalence of parasite infections in endemic populations. Information about malaria epidemiology is mostly derived from reports of confirmed acute malaria cases through passive case detection, whereas the prevalence of baseline subclinical malaria infections is much less known.

Household ownership and utilization of insecticide-treated nets under the Regional Artemisinin Resistance Initiative in Myanmar.

Background: Malaria is a major public health problem in Myanmar with reported artemisinin resistance. Myanmar promotes the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) through the free delivery of long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs) with target coverage of at least 80% in moderate and high-risk areas by 2014. Migrant people are at greater risk of malaria.

Estimation on local transmission of malaria by serological approach under low transmission setting in Myanmar.

Background: As the prevalence of the malaria has been decreasing in many endemic countries including Myanmar, malaria elimination in Greater Mekong Region was targeted not later than 2030. The relevance of molecular and serological tools to identify residual transmission remains to be established in this setting.

Methods: One-year cohort study was conducted and sera samples were collected in every 3 months with active and passive case detection for clinical malaria episodes by RDT, microscopy and molecular method.