Transmission Dynamics of Residual and Re-emerging Malaria in the Amazon: Defining a Roadmap to Malaria Elimination_Part A: Acre, Brazil

A population baseline longitudinal study in a major residual malaria hotspot in Brazil to: 1. identify risk factors for residual malaria infection and disease at individual and household level, 2. identify and quantify population changes in P. vivax and P. falciparum to detect reintroductions and to estimate parasite population complexity at baseline and after interventions and 3. describe changing dynamics of malaria incidence and parasitemia prevalence over time, and to assess potential effects of combinations of interventions on malaria control and elimination using mathematical models.

The study will be developed in Mâncio Lima, a residual malaria hotspot in northwestern Brazil. The population of study is approximately 2,000 subjects aged 3 months and up, who correspond to all the residents of 20% of the households of the urban area of Mâncio Lima.

Will be made Active (ACD) and Passive Case Detection (PCD) every 6 months, over 5 years. (symptom based surveying; microscopy-based diagnosis).

Each visit will include interview, physical examination and collection of 100 μL of blood (finger prick) to malaria diagnosis by smear, RDT and qPCR. If the subject will be positive by smear or RDT (rapid diagnostic test for malaria), despite of presence of symptoms, ≥ 20 mL of venous blood will be draw of them to immunology and parasite genetics study and the immediate treatment per MOH(Ministry of Health) guidelines will be performed.

Subjects with smear or RDT negative, will be followed for symptoms over the next 6 months. If it is subsequently found to be smear/RDT-positive by PCD, the treatment will be performed.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of malaria, genetic characteristics of the population of Plasmodium and changing dynamics of malaria transmission will be analyzed.