Location: Phu Yen, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc and Gia Lai Provinces

Donor: Naval Medical Research Centre – Asia (NMRC-A) through Vysnova Partners, Inc. (Vysnova)

Project objectives:

To establish and pilot surveillance-response systems for elimination of malaria in Viet Nam, including (i) conducting genetic studies to identify drug resistance malaria parasites; (ii) development and validation of new control strategies, tools and approaches for the surveillance-response systems

Research Activity 1: Tracking Occurrences of Transported Organisms (TOTO).

Expected outcomes:
• Provides information on the genetic characteristics of malaria strains currently circulating in Vietnam and the risk factors for anti-malarial drug resistance for physicians and other national and international health organizations.

Research Activity 2: Molecular and genetic epidemiology for malaria in drug resistant areas of Viet Nam: A case-control study of risk factors.

Expected outcomes:
• Identification of risk factors for malaria and anti-malarial drug resistance
• Quantification of the potential for spread of malaria and antimalarial drug resistance through human movement to other locations.
• Identification and reconstruction of pattern of spread of drug resistant malaria, particularly targeting multidrug resistant P. falciparum malaria, in Viet Nam

Research Activity 3: Description of clinical malaria disease patterns and trends in Viet Nam 2009-2015 and analysis of clinical malaria disease patterns and trends in Phu Yen Province, Viet Nam 2005 – 2016

Expected outcomes:
• To determine the plausible factors responsible for resurgence of malaria and this information can be used by national VBDCP for preventive activities in future.
• To establish the underlying factors associated with successful malaria reduction to zero cases in Dong Xuan district under Phu Yen province and replicate it in other districts.

Research Activity 4: Seroepidemiological approaches to enhance malaria surveillance in Vietnam

Expected outcomes:
• Estimation of frequency and incidence of parasite infection in Gia Lai Province using a cross-sectional sero-surveillance study
• Identification of risk factors (e.g., exposures, behaviors, practices) between those infected and non-infected