Next Article in Journal
Challenges to ‘Last Mile’ Surveillance: Result of Programmatic Review of Integrated Skin NTDs Surveillance in Three Indonesian Districts
Previous Article in Journal
Effects of Lactococcus lactis Strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) Intake on Infection-Related Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Previous Article in Special Issue
Application Strategy and Research Progress of Large-Scale Population Drug Intervention in Malaria Control
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
TropicalMed
Volume 11
Issue 5
10.3390/tropicalmed11050122
tropicalmed-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Plasmodium falciparum Malaria and Arbovirus Co-Exposure in the Boende Health Zone, Northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo

by
Solange Milolo Tshilumba
1,*,
Ynke Larivière
2,
Trésor Zola Matuvanga
1,
Armand Mutwadi
2,3,
Danoff Engbu
1,
Germain Kapour
1,4,
Gwen Lemey
2,
Maha Salloum
2,
Maeliss Champagne
5,
Daddy Mangungulu
1,
Pierre Van Damme
6,
Hypolite Muhindo-Mavoko
1,
Vivi Maketa Tevuzula
1,
Joachim Mariën
7,8,
Martine Peeters
5,
Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden
2 and
Patrick Mitashi-Mulopo
1,*
1
Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa 01306, Congo
2
Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
3
Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa 01306, Congo
4
Institut One Health pour l’Afrique, Kinshasa 01306, Congo
5
Translational Research on HIV and Endemic and Emerging Infectious Diseases (TransVIHMI), National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Institute for Research and Sustainable Development (IRD), University of Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
6
Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
7
Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
8
Virus Ecology Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2026, 11(5), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11050122
Submission received: 24 March 2026 / Revised: 28 April 2026 / Accepted: 29 April 2026 / Published: 5 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tools for Battling Malaria)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Malaria remains hyperendemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while arboviral infections are increasingly reported but remain under-surveilled, particularly in remote regions. Overlapping ecological niches and non-specific clinical presentations complicate case management and surveillance. Methods: A cross-sectional door-to-door survey was conducted in December 2023 in Inkanamongo village (Lokolia Health Area, Boende Health Zone, Tshuapa Province). Blood samples were collected from 379 adults; malaria infection was assessed by using HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests, and arboviral IgG antibodies were measured on dried blood spots using Luminex® multiplex immunoassay. Sociodemographic data were collected via standardized questionnaires. Results: Malaria prevalence was 51.7% (95%CI: 46.7–56.7). Overall arboviral seroprevalence reached 78.4% (95%CI: 73.1–81.5), dominated by O’nyong-nyong virus, 42.8% (95%CI: 37.6–47.5), Rift Valley fever virus, 32.0% (95%CI: 26.9–36.2), and chikungunya virus, 23.4% (95%CI: 19.0–27.4). Concurrent malaria infection and arboviral exposure were observed in 40.4% (95%CI: 35.6–45.4) of participants. No sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with co-exposure in the multivariable analysis. Conclusions: Substantial co-exposure of malaria and multiple arboviruses occurs in this remote Congo Basin setting.. Integrated surveillance and improved diagnostics are urgently needed to guide febrile illness management and preparedness in under-resourced regions.
Keywords: malaria; arboviruses; co-exposure; seroprevalence; Tshuapa; DRC malaria; arboviruses; co-exposure; seroprevalence; Tshuapa; DRC

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Tshilumba, S.M.; Larivière, Y.; Zola Matuvanga, T.; Mutwadi, A.; Engbu, D.; Kapour, G.; Lemey, G.; Salloum, M.; Champagne, M.; Mangungulu, D.; et al. Plasmodium falciparum Malaria and Arbovirus Co-Exposure in the Boende Health Zone, Northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2026, 11, 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11050122

AMA Style

Tshilumba SM, Larivière Y, Zola Matuvanga T, Mutwadi A, Engbu D, Kapour G, Lemey G, Salloum M, Champagne M, Mangungulu D, et al. Plasmodium falciparum Malaria and Arbovirus Co-Exposure in the Boende Health Zone, Northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2026; 11(5):122. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11050122

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tshilumba, Solange Milolo, Ynke Larivière, Trésor Zola Matuvanga, Armand Mutwadi, Danoff Engbu, Germain Kapour, Gwen Lemey, Maha Salloum, Maeliss Champagne, Daddy Mangungulu, and et al. 2026. "Plasmodium falciparum Malaria and Arbovirus Co-Exposure in the Boende Health Zone, Northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo" Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 11, no. 5: 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11050122

APA Style

Tshilumba, S. M., Larivière, Y., Zola Matuvanga, T., Mutwadi, A., Engbu, D., Kapour, G., Lemey, G., Salloum, M., Champagne, M., Mangungulu, D., Van Damme, P., Muhindo-Mavoko, H., Tevuzula, V. M., Mariën, J., Peeters, M., Geertruyden, J.-P. V., & Mitashi-Mulopo, P. (2026). Plasmodium falciparum Malaria and Arbovirus Co-Exposure in the Boende Health Zone, Northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11(5), 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11050122

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop