Dry-season malaria transmission and associated risk factors among urban residents of Jabi Tehnan District, northwest Ethiopia
A community-based cross-sectional study conducted in March 2026 among 335 urban residents of Jabi Tehnan District, Ethiopia, revealed a 17.6% dry-season malaria prevalence driven primarily by farming activities, houses with eave openings, and inadequate preventive knowledge, while highlighting insecticide-treated net utilization as a significant protective factor.
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Malaria is often thought of as a disease of the countryside, a problem that flares up after heavy rains when mosquitoes breed in flooded fields and stagnant ponds. In many parts of the world, including Ethiopia, public health efforts have successfully reduced these seasonal outbreaks by distributing insecticide-treated nets and spraying homes. However, a quieter, more persistent version of the disease is emerging in cities. As urban areas expand, they bring with them new environments for mosquitoes: construction sites with standing water, poorly managed drainage, and rivers that run through towns. These conditions allow mosquitoes to survive and bite people even when the dry season arrives and the rains have stopped. This "dry-season" transmission is a critical challenge because it keeps the disease alive in the population, ready to explode again when the weather turns wet, making it harder to eliminate the parasite entirely.
In the northwest of Ethiopia, researchers turned their attention to this hidden problem in the Jabi Tehnan District. While health records showed that people in the towns of Finote Selam, Mankusa, and Jiga were still getting sick with malaria during the dry months, no one knew exactly how widespread the issue was or why it was happening there. To find the answers, a team of scientists from local universities conducted a community-wide survey in March 2026. They visited 335 households across these three towns, speaking with one adult from each home to gather information about their living conditions, their jobs, and their habits. At the same time, they took a tiny drop of blood from each participant to test for the malaria parasite using a rapid diagnostic test, a simple tool that works like a pregnancy test, showing a colored line if the parasite is present.
The results revealed that the problem was more significant than previously understood. During this dry period, nearly one in six people tested positive for malaria, a prevalence of 17.6 percent. The infection was not limited to a single neighborhood; it was found in all three towns, though the rates varied slightly from place to place. The study also identified which type of malaria was most common. The vast majority of cases were caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous species of the parasite, while a smaller portion involved Plasmodium vivax or a mix of both. This pattern matched the broader national trend, where the more severe form of the disease dominates, though it differed from some other urban areas where the less severe type is more common.
By comparing the test results with the information gathered from the interviews, the researchers uncovered specific reasons why some people were getting sick while others remained healthy. The most striking factor was the structure of the home itself. People living in houses with open gaps between the roof and the walls—known as eave openings—were far more likely to be infected. These gaps act as open doors for mosquitoes, allowing them to fly directly into the living space. Similarly, sleeping on the floor rather than on a bed increased the risk significantly, likely because mosquitoes often rest on or near the ground and bite people at lower levels.
Occupation and knowledge also played major roles. People whose work involved farming faced a much higher risk of infection. This is likely because they spend long hours outdoors, often near water sources where mosquitoes breed, and sometimes sleep in temporary shelters without protection. On the other hand, the study found a powerful shield against the disease: the consistent use of insecticide-treated nets. People who used these nets every night were far less likely to have malaria than those who did not. The data showed that using a net reduced the odds of infection by a massive margin, proving that this simple tool remains highly effective even in urban settings.
The study also highlighted the importance of what people know about the disease. Residents who could not explain how malaria spreads or how to prevent it were more likely to be infected. This suggests that knowledge is a form of protection; when people understand the risks, they are better equipped to take steps to avoid them, such as ensuring their nets are intact or closing up gaps in their homes. The researchers noted that while the study provided a clear snapshot of the situation, it could not prove that one factor directly caused another, as the data was collected at a single point in time. Additionally, the rapid tests used might miss very low levels of infection, meaning the true number of cases could be even higher.
Despite these limitations, the findings paint a clear picture of a public health challenge that requires a shift in strategy. Malaria in these Ethiopian towns is not just a rural problem that drifts into the city; it is a resident of the urban landscape, sustained by open eaves, farming activities, and gaps in knowledge. The study concludes that to stop the disease during the dry season, efforts must go beyond just handing out nets. Communities need to improve their housing by sealing gaps, farmers need targeted protection for their outdoor work, and health education must ensure everyone understands how to stay safe. By addressing these specific, local factors, it may be possible to break the cycle of transmission that keeps malaria alive in the dry months, moving closer to the goal of eliminating the disease entirely.
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