| The contribution made by fish ponds to malaria transmission in the Peruvian Amazon is controversial because previous research results have yielded mixed evidence and because the mosquito vector is known to have breeding requirements not typical of fish ponds. To examine the association between fish pond density and malaria occurrence, a retrospective 30-month cohort study was conducted involving 1,018 individuals in eight communities southwest of Iquitos (Peru), using both active and passive malaria surveillance data. Fish pond density (perimeter method) was found to be a significant predictor of malaria occurrence (aOR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.10-1.38). An estimated 46% (95% CI: 24%-69%) of malaria cases could be attributed to exposure to fish ponds at the population level, if causally linked. These results have important implications for the prevention and control of malaria and the development of aquaculture as an important economic activity in Amazonia and beyond. |
