Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

COVID-19 Seroprevalence Test for IgG Antibody Levels Among Healthy Donors Across Different Pandemic Phases in Jeddah
04:43

COVID-19 Seroprevalence Test for IgG Antibody Levels Among Healthy Donors Across Different Pandemic Phases in Jeddah

Published on: June 24, 2025

Malaria in children - experience from Asir region, Saudi Arabia

S H Annobil1, T C Okeahialam, G A Jamjoom

  • 1Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Abha, and Department of Pediatrics, Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Annals of Saudi Medicine
|November 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Malaria is a significant concern in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

  • Tropical Medicine
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Malaria remains a public health challenge in endemic regions.
  • Children under four years old are particularly vulnerable.
  • The Asir region of Saudi Arabia presents a unique epidemiological profile for malaria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of malaria in children.
  • To identify risk factors and seasonal patterns of malaria infection.
  • To evaluate treatment outcomes and propose prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of pediatric cases with fever and hepatosplenomegaly.
  • Data collection over a five-year period at Asir Central Hospital.
  • Clinical findings, treatment responses, and patient outcomes were recorded.

Main Results:

  • 233 malaria cases (2.4%) diagnosed in 9259 children.
  • Majority of cases occurred in children under four from the Tihama valley.
  • Seasonal occurrence noted between December and May; anemia was a common comorbidity.
  • Most cases responded to chloroquine, but severe cases required quinine or Fansidar.
  • Two deaths occurred, one from cerebral malaria and another from severe hemolytic anemia.

Conclusions:

  • Malaria is endemic in the Asir region, predominantly affecting young children.
  • An integrated prevention program is crucial, including permethrin-impregnated bednets, prompt treatment, and health education.
  • Addressing nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency anemia, is important for comprehensive care.

Related Concept Videos

Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Giardiasis01:12

Giardiasis

Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever01:26

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.