Abstract
Background: Malaria is deadly and a major disease burden in Africa especially among the under-5s. Due to the high death rate from malaria in endemic region, World Health Organization previous recommendation was presumptive treatment of malaria. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate if presumptive diagnosis of malaria in our region is still justified, and increase the awareness for proper evaluation for other causes of fever in febrile children. Methods: Apart of a single blinded prospective interventional study carried out between March and May 2016, at the children outpatient unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Nigeria. Consecutive children aged 6 months to 12 years with temperature of 37.50C and above at presentation without prior antimalaria treatment were recruited. Clinical and laboratory evaluation for malaria were done in these subjects. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Test of statistical significant was set at <0.05. Results: Eighty-eight (88) children were recruited. The mean age of studied subjects was 43±46.5 months with a median of 25 months. Male to female ratio was 1.1:1. The axillary temperature range of studied subjects ranged between 37.50C to 390C. The mean temperature of subjects was 37.8±0.370C. Out of 88 children recruited for the study, 51 (58%) had microscopic malaria test being positive. Up to 37 (42%) febrile children tested negative for malaria. Conclusion: Malaria infection in children is still high in our environment, but presumption treatment of malaria is no longer justified. There is a need to scale up provision of diagnostic tools for malaria so that overtreatment can be curtailed.
Highlights
Malaria is a deadly disease; it is a major disease burden in Africa especially among the under-5s [1] the burden of malaria infection and its causal effect is concentrated in the sub-Saharan countries where over 88% of the cases occur with 90% death occurrence in this region. [1]
Prevalence of malaria in febrile children presumptively diagnosed with malaria was 54% in a study done in Zamfara, Nigeria by Abdulkadir et al
This study aimed to evaluate the rightfulness of presumptive diagnosis of malaria in our region and increase the awareness for proper evaluation for other causes of fever in febrile children
Summary
Malaria is a deadly disease; it is a major disease burden in Africa especially among the under-5s [1] the burden of malaria infection and its causal effect is concentrated in the sub-Saharan countries where over 88% of the cases occur with 90% death occurrence in this region. [1]In Nigeria, the burden of malaria is high as 97% among the population at risk. [2] It account for over 60% of public hospital visit. [2] Malaria is the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigerian children accounting for 20% of mortality in under-5s.[2]. [4] the availability of rapid diagnostic test has led the recommendation of parasitological diagnosis before treatment. Prevalence of malaria in febrile children presumptively diagnosed with malaria was 54% in a study done in Zamfara, Nigeria by Abdulkadir et al [8] in this study, 57% of the subjects already had one form of antimalaria treatment. Due to the high death rate from malaria in endemic region, World Health Organization previous recommendation was presumptive treatment of malaria. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate if presumptive diagnosis of malaria in our region is still justified, and increase the awareness for proper evaluation for other causes of fever in febrile children. There is a need to scale up provision of diagnostic tools for malaria so that overtreatment can be curtailed
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
