The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum in sub Saharan Africa since 1900

Short term seasonal cycles are a fundamental aspect of the epidemiology of malaria. Longer-term climate anomalies, changing environmental and intervention landscapes also alter the likelihoods of mosquito-human contact or the duration of host infection. The supra-seasonal, long-term cycles of transmission are poorly defined for P. falciparum malaria in Africa. To provide an empirical basis to define the long-term nature of malaria transmission cycles, we used data on the P. falciparum parasite rate, the proportion of persons positive for malaria infection among those examined. These data were assembled as part of an intensive search lasting 21 years. The data represent the largest ever assembled repository of any parasitic disease in Africa and provide information on over 50,000 community-based surveys across SSA since 1900.