Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Procalcitonin is an inflammatory marker strongly associated with the presence of bacterial infection. It has been considered raised in severe malaria infection as opposed to uncomplicated malaria. There are suggestions that it may be raised only when there is concomitant unnotice...

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Published in:Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines
Main Authors: Jean-Claude Katte, Kiya Penanje, Batakeh B. Agoons, Eric Noel Djahmeni, Sharon Mbacham-Ngwafor, Vicky Jocelyne Ama Moor, Paul Koki, Wilfred Mbacham
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9
https://doaj.org/article/6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e 2023-05-15T15:13:48+02:00 Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study Jean-Claude Katte Kiya Penanje Batakeh B. Agoons Eric Noel Djahmeni Sharon Mbacham-Ngwafor Vicky Jocelyne Ama Moor Paul Koki Wilfred Mbacham 2022-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9 https://doaj.org/article/6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e EN eng BMC https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9 https://doaj.org/toc/2055-0936 doi:10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9 2055-0936 https://doaj.org/article/6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2022) Bacterial infections Child Severe malaria Procalcitonin Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9 2022-12-31T03:56:51Z Abstract Background Procalcitonin is an inflammatory marker strongly associated with the presence of bacterial infection. It has been considered raised in severe malaria infection as opposed to uncomplicated malaria. There are suggestions that it may be raised only when there is concomitant unnoticeable bacterial infection during a malaria crisis. We aimed to assess the difference in plasma procalcitonin levels between children affected by severe and uncomplicated malaria. Methods We assessed plasma procalcitonin levels in 83 children diagnosed with malaria with no clinical and biological evidence of concomitant bacterial infection. Severity of malaria was established using WHO guidelines. Procalcitonin was determined using the ELISA method. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare medians across the 2 groups. Statistical significance was set for all p values < 0.05. Results Of the 83 participants, 28 had uncomplicated malaria, and 55 had severe malaria. PCT levels were obtained in 24 and 40 subjects of each group, respectively, and were similar in both groups; [2.76 (2.52–2.93) vs 2.74 (2.52–2.98) ng/ml, p = 0.916]. The parasite density was lower in the uncomplicated malaria group than in the severe malaria group, but not statistically significant; [22,192 (9110–44 654) vs 31 684 (13 960–73 500) parasites/μl, p = 0.178]. There was no correlation between the parasite density in the general study population and PCT levels (r = 0.072, p = 0.572). Conclusion In the absence of overt bacterial infection, procalcitonin levels are not different between children affected with uncomplicated malaria and those with severe malaria. Therefore, bacterial infection should be thoroughly checked for in children with raised serum procalcitonin diagnosed with severe malaria. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 8 1
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Bacterial infections
Child
Severe malaria
Procalcitonin
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
spellingShingle Bacterial infections
Child
Severe malaria
Procalcitonin
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Jean-Claude Katte
Kiya Penanje
Batakeh B. Agoons
Eric Noel Djahmeni
Sharon Mbacham-Ngwafor
Vicky Jocelyne Ama Moor
Paul Koki
Wilfred Mbacham
Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
topic_facet Bacterial infections
Child
Severe malaria
Procalcitonin
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
description Abstract Background Procalcitonin is an inflammatory marker strongly associated with the presence of bacterial infection. It has been considered raised in severe malaria infection as opposed to uncomplicated malaria. There are suggestions that it may be raised only when there is concomitant unnoticeable bacterial infection during a malaria crisis. We aimed to assess the difference in plasma procalcitonin levels between children affected by severe and uncomplicated malaria. Methods We assessed plasma procalcitonin levels in 83 children diagnosed with malaria with no clinical and biological evidence of concomitant bacterial infection. Severity of malaria was established using WHO guidelines. Procalcitonin was determined using the ELISA method. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare medians across the 2 groups. Statistical significance was set for all p values < 0.05. Results Of the 83 participants, 28 had uncomplicated malaria, and 55 had severe malaria. PCT levels were obtained in 24 and 40 subjects of each group, respectively, and were similar in both groups; [2.76 (2.52–2.93) vs 2.74 (2.52–2.98) ng/ml, p = 0.916]. The parasite density was lower in the uncomplicated malaria group than in the severe malaria group, but not statistically significant; [22,192 (9110–44 654) vs 31 684 (13 960–73 500) parasites/μl, p = 0.178]. There was no correlation between the parasite density in the general study population and PCT levels (r = 0.072, p = 0.572). Conclusion In the absence of overt bacterial infection, procalcitonin levels are not different between children affected with uncomplicated malaria and those with severe malaria. Therefore, bacterial infection should be thoroughly checked for in children with raised serum procalcitonin diagnosed with severe malaria.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Jean-Claude Katte
Kiya Penanje
Batakeh B. Agoons
Eric Noel Djahmeni
Sharon Mbacham-Ngwafor
Vicky Jocelyne Ama Moor
Paul Koki
Wilfred Mbacham
author_facet Jean-Claude Katte
Kiya Penanje
Batakeh B. Agoons
Eric Noel Djahmeni
Sharon Mbacham-Ngwafor
Vicky Jocelyne Ama Moor
Paul Koki
Wilfred Mbacham
author_sort Jean-Claude Katte
title Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
title_short Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
title_full Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
title_sort procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
publisher BMC
publishDate 2022
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9
https://doaj.org/article/6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e
geographic Arctic
geographic_facet Arctic
genre Arctic
genre_facet Arctic
op_source Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2022)
op_relation https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9
https://doaj.org/toc/2055-0936
doi:10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9
2055-0936
https://doaj.org/article/6339c16a5d8945a3bbeded0a9801453e
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-022-00163-9
container_title Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines
container_volume 8
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