About the Authors

John J Aponte

To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jjairo@clinic.ub.es

Affiliations Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain , Centro de Investigacão en Saude de Manhica, Manhica, Mozambique

Clara Menendez

Affiliations Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain , Centro de Investigacão en Saude de Manhica, Manhica, Mozambique

David Schellenberg

Affiliations Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain , Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre, Ifakara, Tanzania

Elizeus Kahigwa

Affiliation Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre, Ifakara, Tanzania

Hassan Mshinda

Affiliation Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre, Ifakara, Tanzania

Penelope Vountasou

Affiliation Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland

Marcel Tanner

Affiliation Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland

Pedro L Alonso

Affiliations Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain , Centro de Investigacão en Saude de Manhica, Manhica, Mozambique

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

JJA, CM, EK, HM, MT, and PLA designed the study. JJA, MT, and PLA analyzed the data. CM, DS, and EK enrolled patients. JJA, CM, DS, EK, HM, MT, and PLA contributed to writing the paper. EK, HM, and PLA collected data or performed experiments for this study. DS helped to coordinate the team that recruited and followed-up children in Ifakara. EK was involved in the recruitment of children for whom baseline data were collected through both clinical and laboratory tests. EK supervised the field work concerning weekly malaria chemoprophylaxis, and performed follow-up in cross-sectional surveys where physical examination of children was done and laboratory tests were taken. EK also performed follow-up in passive case detection if the child became ill and needed clinical attention. PV was involved in the study design and data management, and supported the statistical analysis. MT assisted in coordinating the whole programme of which this paper is part.