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Severe falciparum malaria in young children of the Kassena-Nankana district of northern Ghana.
- Source :
-
Malaria journal [Malar J] 2007 Jul 27; Vol. 6, pp. 96. Date of Electronic Publication: 2007 Jul 27. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Study Design: Severe falciparum malaria in children was studied as part of the characterization of the Kassena-Nankana District Ghana for future malaria vaccine trials. Children aged 6-59 months with diagnosis suggestive of acute disease were characterized using the standard WHO definition for severe malaria.<br />Results: Of the total children screened, 45.2% (868/1921) satisfied the criteria for severe malaria. Estimated incidence of severe malaria was 3.4% (range: 0.4-8.3%) cases per year. The disease incidence was seasonal: 560 cases per year, of which 70.4% occurred during the wet season (June-October). The main manifestations were severe anaemia (36.5%); prolonged or multiple convulsions (21.6%); respiratory distress (24.4%) and cerebral malaria (5.4%). Others were hyperpyrexia (11.1%); hyperparasitaemia (18.5%); hyperlactaemia (33.4%); and hypoglycaemia (3.2%). The frequency of severe anaemia was 39.8% in children of six to 24 months of age and 25.9% in children of 25-60 months of age. More children (8.7%) in the 25-60 months age group had cerebral malaria compared with 4.4% in the 6-24 months age group. The overall case fatality ratio was 3.5%. Cerebral malaria and hyperlactataemia were the significant risk factors associated with death. Severe anaemia, though a major presentation, was not significantly associated with risk of death.<br />Conclusion: Severe malaria is a frequent and seasonal childhood disease in northern Ghana and maybe an adequate endpoint for future malaria vaccine trials.
- Subjects :
- Age Factors
Analysis of Variance
Anemia etiology
Anemia mortality
Animals
Child, Preschool
Ghana epidemiology
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Malaria, Cerebral complications
Malaria, Cerebral epidemiology
Malaria, Cerebral mortality
Prognosis
Respiration Disorders etiology
Respiration Disorders mortality
Risk Factors
Seasons
Survival Rate
Malaria, Falciparum complications
Malaria, Falciparum epidemiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1475-2875
- Volume :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Malaria journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17662142
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-6-96