TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence, probability, and characteristics of malaria and filariasis co-infections
T2 - A systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Wilairatana, Polrat
AU - Kotepui, Kwuntida Uthaisar
AU - Mala, Wanida
AU - Wangdi, Kinley
AU - Kotepui, Manas
N1 - Funding Information:
MK was supported by the Walailak University The new strategic research project (P2P) fiscal year 2022. KW was supported by the Australian National University Australian National Health and Medical Research Council 2021 Investigator Grant (2008697). The funder played no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Wilairatana et al.
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - BACKGROUND: Malaria and filariasis are significant vector-borne diseases that are co-endemic in the same human populations. This study aims to collate the evidence, probability, and characteristics of malaria and filariasis co-infections in participants among studies reporting the co-occurrence of both diseases.METHODS: We searched for potentially relevant articles reporting the co-occurrence of malaria and filariasis in five electronic databases (Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and CENTRAL) from inception to May 22, 2022. We estimated the pooled prevalence and probability of malaria and filariasis co-infections among study participants using random-effects meta-analyses and synthesized the characteristics of patients with co-infections narratively.RESULTS: We identified 951 articles, 24 of which (96,838 participants) met eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Results of the meta-analysis showed a pooled prevalence of malaria and filariasis co-infections among participants of 11%. The prevalence of co-infections was 2.3% in Africa, 0.2% in Asia, and 1.6% in South America. The pooled prevalences of malaria and Wuchereria bancrofti, malaria and Loa loa, malaria and Mansonella perstans co-infections were 0.7%, 1.2%, and 1.0%, respectively. The meta-analysis results showed that the co-infections between two parasites occurred by probability (P = 0.001). Patients with co-infections were at increased risk of having an enlarged spleen, a lower rate of severe anemia, lower parasite density, and more asymptomatic clinical status. Patients with co-infections had decreased levels of C-X-C motif chemokine 5, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-4, c4 complement, and interleukin-10. In addition, patients with co-infections had a lower interleukin-10/tumor necrosis factor-α ratio and higher interleukin-10/interleukin-6 ratio.CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the prevalence of malaria and filariasis co-infections was low and varied between geographical areas in the selected articles. Co-infections tended to occur with a low probability. Further studies investigating the outcomes and characteristics of co-infections are needed.
AB - BACKGROUND: Malaria and filariasis are significant vector-borne diseases that are co-endemic in the same human populations. This study aims to collate the evidence, probability, and characteristics of malaria and filariasis co-infections in participants among studies reporting the co-occurrence of both diseases.METHODS: We searched for potentially relevant articles reporting the co-occurrence of malaria and filariasis in five electronic databases (Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and CENTRAL) from inception to May 22, 2022. We estimated the pooled prevalence and probability of malaria and filariasis co-infections among study participants using random-effects meta-analyses and synthesized the characteristics of patients with co-infections narratively.RESULTS: We identified 951 articles, 24 of which (96,838 participants) met eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Results of the meta-analysis showed a pooled prevalence of malaria and filariasis co-infections among participants of 11%. The prevalence of co-infections was 2.3% in Africa, 0.2% in Asia, and 1.6% in South America. The pooled prevalences of malaria and Wuchereria bancrofti, malaria and Loa loa, malaria and Mansonella perstans co-infections were 0.7%, 1.2%, and 1.0%, respectively. The meta-analysis results showed that the co-infections between two parasites occurred by probability (P = 0.001). Patients with co-infections were at increased risk of having an enlarged spleen, a lower rate of severe anemia, lower parasite density, and more asymptomatic clinical status. Patients with co-infections had decreased levels of C-X-C motif chemokine 5, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-4, c4 complement, and interleukin-10. In addition, patients with co-infections had a lower interleukin-10/tumor necrosis factor-α ratio and higher interleukin-10/interleukin-6 ratio.CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the prevalence of malaria and filariasis co-infections was low and varied between geographical areas in the selected articles. Co-infections tended to occur with a low probability. Further studies investigating the outcomes and characteristics of co-infections are needed.
KW - Animals
KW - Humans
KW - Prevalence
KW - Interleukin-10
KW - Interleukin-4
KW - Coinfection/epidemiology
KW - Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
KW - Interleukin-6
KW - Filariasis/complications
KW - Mansonelliasis/epidemiology
KW - Malaria/complications
KW - Probability
KW - Complement C4
KW - Chemokines
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140417499&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010857
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010857
M3 - Article
C2 - 36269701
SN - 1935-2727
VL - 16
SP - 1
EP - 22
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
IS - 10
M1 - e0010857
ER -
