Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of malaria transmission across rapidly proliferating urban centres and recommendations for its prevention or management remain poorly defined. This paper presents the results of an investigation into infection prevalence and treatment of recent fe...

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Published in:Malaria Journal
Main Authors: Ochola Sam, Ndugwa Robert, Madise Nyovani, Ye Yazoume, Snow Robert W
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-160
https://doaj.org/article/611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea 2023-05-15T15:14:42+02:00 Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya Ochola Sam Ndugwa Robert Madise Nyovani Ye Yazoume Snow Robert W 2009-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-160 https://doaj.org/article/611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea EN eng BMC http://www.malariajournal.com/content/8/1/160 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-160 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea Malaria Journal, Vol 8, Iss 1, p 160 (2009) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2009 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-160 2022-12-31T11:43:08Z Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of malaria transmission across rapidly proliferating urban centres and recommendations for its prevention or management remain poorly defined. This paper presents the results of an investigation into infection prevalence and treatment of recent febrile events among a slum population in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods In July 2008, a community-based malaria parasite prevalence survey was conducted in Korogocho slum, which forms part of the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance system. Interviewers visited 1,069 participants at home and collected data on reported fevers experienced over the preceding 14 days and details on the treatment of these episodes. Each participant was tested for malaria parasite presence with Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and microscopy. Descriptive analyses were performed to assess the period prevalence of reported fever episodes and treatment behaviour. Results Of the 1,069 participants visited, 983 (92%) consented to be tested. Three were positive for Plasmodium falciparum using RDT; however, all were confirmed negative on microscopy. Microscopic examination of all 953 readable slides showed zero prevalence. Overall, from the 1,004 participants who have data on fever, 170 fever episodes were reported giving a relatively high period prevalence (16.9%, 95% CI:13.9%–20.5%) and higher among children below five years (20.1%, 95%CI:13.8%–27.8%). Of the fever episodes with treatment information 54.3% (95%CI:46.3%–62.2%) were treated as malaria using mainly sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine or amodiaquine, including those managed at a formal health facility. Only four episodes were managed using the nationally recommended first-line treatment, artemether-lumefantrine. Conclusion The study could not demonstrate any evidence of malaria in Korogocho, a slum in the centre of Nairobi. Fever was a common complaint and often treated as malaria with anti-malarial drugs. Strategies, including testing for malaria parasites to reduce the inappropriate ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 8 1
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Infectious and parasitic diseases
RC109-216
spellingShingle Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Infectious and parasitic diseases
RC109-216
Ochola Sam
Ndugwa Robert
Madise Nyovani
Ye Yazoume
Snow Robert W
Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
topic_facet Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Infectious and parasitic diseases
RC109-216
description Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of malaria transmission across rapidly proliferating urban centres and recommendations for its prevention or management remain poorly defined. This paper presents the results of an investigation into infection prevalence and treatment of recent febrile events among a slum population in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods In July 2008, a community-based malaria parasite prevalence survey was conducted in Korogocho slum, which forms part of the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance system. Interviewers visited 1,069 participants at home and collected data on reported fevers experienced over the preceding 14 days and details on the treatment of these episodes. Each participant was tested for malaria parasite presence with Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and microscopy. Descriptive analyses were performed to assess the period prevalence of reported fever episodes and treatment behaviour. Results Of the 1,069 participants visited, 983 (92%) consented to be tested. Three were positive for Plasmodium falciparum using RDT; however, all were confirmed negative on microscopy. Microscopic examination of all 953 readable slides showed zero prevalence. Overall, from the 1,004 participants who have data on fever, 170 fever episodes were reported giving a relatively high period prevalence (16.9%, 95% CI:13.9%–20.5%) and higher among children below five years (20.1%, 95%CI:13.8%–27.8%). Of the fever episodes with treatment information 54.3% (95%CI:46.3%–62.2%) were treated as malaria using mainly sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine or amodiaquine, including those managed at a formal health facility. Only four episodes were managed using the nationally recommended first-line treatment, artemether-lumefantrine. Conclusion The study could not demonstrate any evidence of malaria in Korogocho, a slum in the centre of Nairobi. Fever was a common complaint and often treated as malaria with anti-malarial drugs. Strategies, including testing for malaria parasites to reduce the inappropriate ...
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Ochola Sam
Ndugwa Robert
Madise Nyovani
Ye Yazoume
Snow Robert W
author_facet Ochola Sam
Ndugwa Robert
Madise Nyovani
Ye Yazoume
Snow Robert W
author_sort Ochola Sam
title Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
title_short Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
title_full Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
title_fullStr Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya
title_sort fever treatment in the absence of malaria transmission in an urban informal settlement in nairobi, kenya
publisher BMC
publishDate 2009
url https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-160
https://doaj.org/article/611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea
geographic Arctic
geographic_facet Arctic
genre Arctic
genre_facet Arctic
op_source Malaria Journal, Vol 8, Iss 1, p 160 (2009)
op_relation http://www.malariajournal.com/content/8/1/160
https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875
doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-160
1475-2875
https://doaj.org/article/611035671e4c4836a1a087b28e95dbea
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-160
container_title Malaria Journal
container_volume 8
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