Abstract
Important gains in malaria control have been achieved in recent years in Lao PDR. Malaria admissions and deaths have declined substantially since 2000. Although the burden of malaria in Lao PDR has been reduced over the past several years, 3.9 million inhabitants, roughly 59 percent of the population, are at some risk of infection. The majority of malaria cases between 2009-2013 occurred among male youth and adults.
Transmission varies greatly by geography and seasonality. The majority of transmission—95 percent of reported cases —occur in five southern provinces . Transmission is very low along the Mekong River plains and in the highlands. The proportion of cases due to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) versus Plasmodium vivax (Pv) are 73 percent and 27 percent, respectively.
At-risk populations for malaria include mobile migrant workers (MMWs), ethnic minority groups, indigenous populations (IPs), and military personnel in the region susceptible to parasite infection—those living in forested areas.