Management of fever among under-fives and utility of malaria rapid diagnostic test under reduced malaria burden in Rufii District, Southeastern Tanzania
Journal Title: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease - Year 2015, Vol 5, Issue 11
Abstract
Objective: To investigate case management of fever among under-fives, performance and utility of malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) under reduced malaria burden in Rufiji District, Southeastern Tanzania. Methods: A quantitative cross sectional study was conducted at primary health facilities in Rufiji District from April to May 2012. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, history and duration of fever, fever measurement, clinical diagnosis and drugs prescribed were recorded. Parasitological malaria confirmation was done by mRDT and microscopy. Performance of mRDT and utility of mRDT results to guide on the management of malarial and non-malarial fevers were assessed. Results: Of the 466 under-fives with fever, 111 (23.8%) were mRDT positive and 100 (21.5%) were microscopically positive for malaria. Sensitivity and specificity of mRDT were 90% [95% confidence interval (CI): 82.6%–94.5%] and 94.3% (95% CI: 91.4%–96.2%) respectively; overall diagnostic accuracy was 93.3% (95% CI: 91.1%–95.6%). A total of 130 (28.5%) underfives received an antimalarial. Among them, 109 (83.8%) were mRDT positive while 21 (16.2%) were negative. Of the 100 under-fives with microscopic parasitaemia, 34 had counts > 200 000/ µL an indication for quinine but only 5/34 (14.7%) received quinine prescription. Five underfives with parasitaemia > 200 000/µL had negative mRDT results. Being mRDT negative was significantly associated with receipt of an antibiotic prescription (χ2 = 162.2, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Use of mRDT reduced unnecessary antimalarial use by 71.5%. However, this had the potential for over prescribing an antibiotic for non-malarial fevers. The diagnostic performance of mRDT was still high despite decline in malaria burden.
Bancroftian fiariasis in four slums of Bankura, West Bengal, India
Objective: To assess the prevalence of disease and microfilaremia in four slums of Bankura, West Bengal, India. Methods: Data on age and sex-specific of all the respondents were collected and compared with microfilaria r...
Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts from Strychnos minor Dennst leaves
Objective: To study the phytochemical class and its antioxidant activity of various extractions of Strychnos minor (S. minor), a rare endemic medicinal plant of South India. Methods: Leaves of S. minor were collected fro...
Effect of Evolvulus alsinoides on lipid metabolism of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats
Objective: To determine the effect of ethanolic extract of Evolvulus alsinoides (E. alsinoides) on diabetes-induced changes in lipid metabolism. Methods: The ethanolic extract of E. alsinoides on serum and tissue lipid l...
The behavioral performance tests of Mucuna pruriens gold nanoparticles in the 1-methyl 4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine treated mouse model of Parkinsonism
Objective: The present investigation is aimed to carry out the behavioural changes of the Mucuna pruriens extract (MPE) and Mucuna pruriens Goldnanoparticles (MPGNPs) against MPTPinduced neurotoxicity. Methods: MPGNPs pr...
Role of leukotrienes in NSAID induced gastric ulceration and inflammation in wistar rats
Objective: To evaluate the effects of Montelukast and Curcumin against indomethacin induced gastric damage in rats in order to assess the role of leukotriene (LTs) if any, in non steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) i...