Asymptomatic parasitemia in under five, school age children and households self-medication, Lubumbashi, democratic republic of Congo

Introduction: Long neglected, asymptomatic malaria is currently recognized as a potential threat and obstacle to malaria control. In DR Congo, the prevalence of this parasite is poorly documented. This study aims to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic parasitaemia in children less than 5 years of age as well as in those aged over five years for what concerns ongoing mass control interventions (LLINs). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among school age children, children less than 5 years of age living in the household of Lubumbashi. Schools, students and children less than 5 years of age were selected randomly. Thick and thin blood smears and rapid tests were performed and read. Results: Out of 350 examined students, 43 (12, 3%), IC 95% (9, 14-16, 04) had positive thick smear. Only plasmodium falciparum was identified in all the 43 cases. 314 households (90.5%) declared that they had administered anti-malarial drugs to their children to treat fever at home. More than one-third of households (39.9%) declared that they had administered antipyretics to their children to relieve fever, 19.7% administered quinine and only less than 2% artemether-lumefantrine. Considering the use of the TDR technique, the prevalence of asymptomatic parasitaemia was 3%, IC 95% (from 2.075 to 4.44), but if we consider microscopy as the gold standard, the prevalence was 1.9%, IC 95% (from 1.13 to 3.01). Conclusion: Asymptomatic malaria is not without health consequences, so it is important to conduct such investigations to detect new malaria device programmes.