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Plasmodium–helminth coinfection can have a number of consequences for infected hosts, yet our knowledge of the epidemiology of coinfection across multiple settings is limited. This study investigates the distribution and heterogeneity of coinfection with Plasmodium falciparum and 3 major helminth species across East Africa. The study reported that broad-scale geographical patterns of Plasmodium–helminth coinfection are strongly influenced by the least common infection and by species-specific environmental factors. At the individual level, it found an enduring positive association between P. falciparum and hookworm but no association between P. falciparum and Schistosoma species. However, the relative importance of such within-individual associations was found to be less than the role of spatial factors in influencing coinfection risks. The authors concluded that patterns of coinfection seem to be influenced more by the distribution of the least common species and its environmental risk factors, rather than any enduring within-individual associations.

Citation: Brooker, S.J. et al. Plasmodium–Helminth Coinfection and Its Sources of Heterogeneity Across East Africa, JID 2012:205 (1 March)

Country: Ethiopia | Uganda

Issues: NTDs