Although there was a higher prevalence of G6PD deficiency among male children, the prevalence of P. vivax infections was similar among G6PD deficient individuals of both genders (13.6% vs. 8.8% by microscopy or RDT detection, 37.3% vs. 35.3% by qPCR detection; Additional file 4). Here, G6PD is linked to G6PD deficiency.