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URBAN FARMING AND MALARIA RISK FACTORS IN A MEDIUM-SIZED TOWN IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Urbanization occurs at a rapid pace across Africa and Asia and affects people’s health and well-being. A typical feature in urban settings of Africa is the maintenance of traditional livelihoods, including agriculture. The purpose of this study was to investigate malaria risk factors in urban farming communities in a medium-sized town in Côte d’Ivoire. Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out among 112 households from six agricultural zones. First, the heads of households were interviewed on agricultural land use, farming practices, water storage, sanitation facilities, and socioeconomic status. Second, a finger prick blood sample was taken from all household members and examined for the occurrence and density of Plasmodia. Geographic coordinates of houses, farming plots, and potential mosquito breeding sites were recorded and integrated into a geographic information system. Predictors of Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia were assessed using non-random and random effects Bayesian regression models. The overall prevalence of P. falciparum was 32.1%. In children < 15 years of age, risk factors for a P. falciparum infection included living in a specific agricultural zone, close proximity to permanent ponds and fish ponds, periodic stays overnight in temporary farm huts, and low socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate that specific crop systems and specific agricultural practices may increase the risk of malaria in urban settings of tropical Africa.

Received June 1, 2006. Accepted for publication August 30, 2006.

Acknowledgments: We thank all farmers and their families for active participation. We acknowledge political and religious leaders, school directors, and community youth associations for placing rooms and other infrastructures at our disposal during the questionnaire and malariologic surveys. We are indebted to D. Doua and his team (S. Tokpa, M. Kpan, C. Gueu Sadia, R. Dion, P. Blé Gosamé, A. Thian Yohan, and S. Sadia) of the Organization for the Development of Women’s Activities (ODAFEM) in Man for their commitment to this study. We thank M. Koné (Université de Bouaké) for help with the socioeconomic survey. We are grateful to the laboratory technicians (A. Allangba, S. Diabaté, A. Fondjo, B. Sosthène, and M. Traoré) and the medical field staff of Man for their high-quality field and laboratory work.

Financial support: This investigation was supported by the National Centre of Competence in Research North-South program "Research Partnerships for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change," individual project no. 4 (IP4) "Health and Well-Being;" the Swiss Development Cooperation through project "Contribution to the Process of National Reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire;" and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) through a research project to Penelope Vounatsou and Laura Gosoniu (project no. 3252B0-102136), a fellowship to Giovanna Raso (project no. PBBSB-109011), and an SNF-Förderungsprofessur to Jürg Utzinger (project no. PP00B-102883).

^* Address correspondence to Jürg Utzinger, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, PO Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland. E-mail: juerg.utzinger{at}unibas.ch

Authors’ addresses: Barbara Matthys, Penelope Vounatsou, Laura Gosoniu, Marcel Tanner, and Jürg Utzinger, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, PO Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland. Barbara Matthys, Andres B. Tschannen, Gueladio Cissé, and Eliézer K. N’Goran, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, 01 BP 1303, Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire. Giovanna Raso, Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia. Emmanuel G. Gbede Becket, Unités de Formation et de Recherche des Sciences de l’Homme et de la Société, Université d’Abidjan-Cocody, 22 PB 770, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire. Eliézer K. N’Goran, Unités de Formation et de Recherche des Biosciences, Université d’Abidjan-Cocody, 22 PB 770, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

Reprint requests: Jürg Utzinger, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, PO Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland, Telephone: 41-61-284-8129, Fax: 41-61-284-8105, E-mail: juerg.utzinger{at}unibas.ch.

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