Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and its Hepatic Impacts among Malaria Patients in Some Selected African Countries

Abstract

Malaria is an infection caused by the parasites of the genus, Plasmodium. There are more than hundreds of different species of Plasmodium known to cause malaria in different animals such as: birds, monkeys, and humans. However, only five of them are notoriously implicated in causing the infection to humans, with P. falciparum being the most common and lethal especially in Africa. Malaria is a major public health issue affecting African countries with millions of cases every year. Among the annual 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 deaths recorded in 2020, majority of these cases was recorded in sub-Sahara African countries. Diseases caused by P. falciparum result in the deaths of millions of these people annually, with greater percentage being small children living in highly endemic areas. This study reviews the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and its hepatic impacts among malaria patients in some selected African countries.