Clinical and biological diagnosis of malaria and dengue fever among febrile patients in hospitals of Bangangte, Cameroon

Abstract

Malaria and dengue are vector borne diseases with shared endemic profiles and symptoms. This study aimed at investigating through the prevalence of malaria-dengue co-infection in febrile patients and to assess the level of knowledge about dengue fever among healthcare workers in Bangangté. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2021 in five healthcare facilities of Cameroon. Malaria diagnosis was performed by rapid tests and thick smears, and dengue virus detection was done using rapid test. A total of 60 healthcare workers (24 medical doctors, 36 nurses) and 200 patients with history of fever were enrolled. Overall findings revealed predominance of malaria (53%), followed by dengue (8.5%). Malaria-dengue co-infection was recorded in 6% of cases. Positivity rates were 53% with thick smears and 65% with rapid malaria tests. For dengue positivity rates were 5.50% for NS1 Ag, 6.50% for IgM, and 2% for IgG. Out of the 60 participating healthcare workers 55% had a low-knowledge level about dengue. The prevalence of dengue-malaria co-infection is low in Bangangté, but it’s now known that the dengue virus is circulating in the area. Furthermore, the knowledge of healthcare workers on this arbovirus is poor, justifying the necessity for increasing surveillance for dengue and like diseases; and advocacy for the continue education for healthcare practitioners.