Simulation models predict that school-age children are responsible for most human-to-mosquito Plasmodium falciparum transmission in southern Malawi

Table 2 Population characteristics by season and estimated distribution of human reservoirs of infection

Age group	% of population (N_a/N) [27] (%)	Dry season			Rainy season
Age group	% of population (N_a/N) [27] (%)	P. falciparum prevalence (qPCR), α_a (%)	ITN usage, σ_a (%)	% of P. falciparum infections^a (%)	P. falciparum prevalence (qPCR), α_a (%)	ITN usage, σ_a (%)	% of P. falciparum infections^a (%)
Children (< 5 years)	18.2	7.7	53.4	12.4	13.6	70.1	13.8
SAC (5–15 years)	30.0	18.9	33.6	50.2	26.6	49.0	44.3
Young adults (16–30 years)	27.2	10.8	59.7	26.0	16.3	65.3	24.6
Adults (> 30 years)	24.7	5.2	56.4	11.3	12.7	63.0	17.4

^aEstimated percent of parasite carriers that are from each age group, (N_a/N)*α_a

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