Cumulative incidence and spatial-temporal distribution of malaria in Peru for the period 2000 to 2022

Abstract

Introduction. Malaria is a metaxenic disease causedby Plasmodiumspp., of which the most prevalent species in Peru are P. vivax and P. falciparum. In Peru, 22 617 malaria cases were reported in 2023. Objective. To describe the evolution of malaria cases in Peru between 2000 and 2022, characterize the population and estimate the cumulative incidence (CI) for the periods 2000-2005, 2006-2011, 2012-2017, and 2018-2022. Methods. This was a descriptive observational longitudinal secondary source design, using the "Malaria Epidemiological Surveillance" database. The CI was calculated using the database and the annual estimated population by departments provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Information. The study covered the entire Peruvian territory and analyzed individual malaria cases. Results. The CI of malaria per 1000 inhabitants in the department of Loreto was higher compared to other departments across all periods, reaching a peak of 51,84 in the 2012-2017 period (6,28, 12,45, 51,84, and 22,93 in the periods 2000-2005, 2006-2011, 2012-2017, and 2018-2022, respectively). Madre de Dios exhibited a peak in incidence, reaching 9,77 cases per 1,000 inhabitants during the 2006-2011 period, which subsequently decreased to 1,13 in the 2012-2017 period. Meanwhile, Amazonas recorded an uptrend in incidence per 1,000 inhabitants during the 2018-2022 period, attaining 3,02. Conclusion. Loreto was the department with the highest risk of malaria infection throughout the periods 2000-2005, 2006-2011, 2012-2017, and 2018-2022.