Malaria presents enormous health problems in Africa and about 300 – 400 million acute attacks per year are estimated to occur with about 80% of the cases. The objective to the study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of malaria in clinically diagnosed children in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, and to see if there is any correlation between the parasite density and the ages and gender of the patients. Blood samples from 280 children aged between 0 – 14 years attending the Paediatric Out-patient and Emergency Paediatric Unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, with signs and symptoms suggestive of malaria were collected aseptically in sterile bottles. Thick and thin films of the specimens were stained using Giemsa staining technique. The stain was examined under x 100 objective microscope for characterizing plasmodia. A parasite rate of 32.9% with Plasmodium falciparum (90.2%) and Plasmodium malariae (9.8%) were observed. Nineteen percent of the study population had mean parasite densities higher than the critical value of 10,000 per microlitre. There was no difference in parasitaemia in relation to gender. The prevalence of malaria is still high in the Paediatric age group. There is the need to intensify the Roll Back Malaria Programme by the Federal Government of Nigeria in order to reduce the prevalence of malaria.

Keywords: malaria, parasitaemia, correlation, childhood.