Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections and determinants of carriage in a seasonal malaria chemoprevention setting in Northern Cameroon and south Senegal (Kedougou)

Under five years asymptomatic Plasmodium infection in northern Cameroon prior to SMC season remained high in 2018, irrespective of history of SMC implementation in the study areas in Cameroon. Compared to Adamaoua, peak asymptomatic malaria parasite rate was observed in children 5-10 years, which is out of the SMC target age-range. Health area, last infection within the past month and to a lesser extent gender affected the association between age and asymptomatic carriage in all sites except the North region of Cameroon, indicating wide heterogeneity in risk of malaria among the general population in that geography. Follow-up studies designed to measure SMC effects in Cameroon are warranted as it may become necessary to extend age of SMC eligibility to 10 years, as is practiced in Senegal.