Socio-economic & household risk factors of malaria in tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, central India.

Background & Objectives: Malaria is a major public health problem in many States of the country, particularly, in Madhya Pradesh where both Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum are endemic. Although many studies have been conducted to investigate risk factors for malaria, but only a few have examined household and socio-economic risk factors.

A preliminary study on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles in Plasmodium vivax malaria patients from central zone of India.

The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the plasma cytokine profiles in a group of patients suffering from Plasmodium vivax malaria during the peak of its transmission season. Plasma samples of 173 P. vivax patients and 34 healthy individuals were analyzed for IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IP-10 levels by ELISA.

The usefulness of a new rapid diagnostic test, the First Response Malaria Combo (pLDH/HRP2) card test, for malaria diagnosis in the forested belt of central India.

Background: Malaria presents a diagnostic challenge in tribal belt of central India where two Plasmodium species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, are prevalent. In these areas, rapid detection of the malaria parasites and early treatment of infection remain the most important goals of disease management. Therefore, the usefulness of a new rapid diagnostic (RDT), the First Response(R) Combo Malaria Ag (pLDH/HRP2) card test was assessed for differential diagnosis between P.