Prevalence and clinical characteristics of malaria in children in the malaria endemic area of North Halmahera

Falciparum and vivax malaria are the most common types of malaria in Indonesia and cause complications and death in children. To carry out appropriate malarqia eradication, it is necessary to initially know the current malaria situation. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of malaria in children in North Halmahera. The study was a cross-sectional study on children in malaria endemic areas in Kao District, North Halmahera Regency, subjects aged 0-18 years in June 2023. Clinical characteristics were determined by physical examination and peripheral blood sampling with parental or guardian consent. The diagnosis of malaria is determined by microscopic examination. Hemoglobin levels are determined with stick hemoglobin. Clinical characteristics of malaria were analyzed using bivariate tests and Fischer tests. 88 children met the criteria, the results showed that eight children were positive for malaria (7.8%), three children had Falciparum (3.4%), four children had vivax malaria (4.5%), and one child had mixed (1.1%). Fever and gastrointestinal disorders were the dominant clinical symptoms found in children with malaria, and in all children with vivax malaria. There was no significant difference in hemoglobin levels in children with malaria and without malaria (12.85 vs 12.96 g/dL). Three children aged 2-3 years with Falciparum malaria and 46 children aged 2-9 years showed a malaria transmission value of 6.5%, including low transmission. The incidence of malaria is 9.09% and the dominant clinical characteristics are fever and intestinal disorders for malaria in children in low-transmission malaria endemic areas in Kao district, North Halmahera.