Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of malaria in Latin America and the Caribbean countries through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature, gray literature, and information from countries’ public health authorities for the period 1990 to 2009.

Methods

The random-effects meta-analysis of the prospective studies, carried out in very highly endemic areas, showed an annual incidence rate of 409.0 malaria episodes/1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 263.1–554.9), considering all ages, which was 40-fold the one estimated from areas with passive surveillance only.

Results

Overall, the most prevalent species was Plasmodium vivax (77.5%; 95% CI 75.6–79.4) followed by Plasmodium falciparum (20.8%; 95% CI 19.0–22.6) and Plasmodium malariae (0.08%; 95% CI 0.07–0.010). Data from regional ministries of health yielded an estimated pooled crude annual mortality rate of 6 deaths/100,000 people, mainly associated with P. falciparum.

Conclusion

This study represents the first systematic review of the burden of malaria in Latin America and the Caribbean, with data from 21 countries.