Malaria parasitemia and childhood diarrhea in a peri-urban area of Guinea-Bissau.
To examine the association between diarrhea in early childhood and malaria parasitemia, we conducted a nested case-control study in Guinea-Bissau of 297 children with diarrhea and a similar number of children without diarrhea matched for age, season, and residential area. There were no associations between diarrhea and parasite rate, parasite density, or clinical malaria. However, anti-malarials were easily available and frequently used, which was reflected by a 0.7% prevalence of children with a parasite density > 100/200 leukocytes. Thus, the findings do not preclude that diarrhea may be a sign of clinical malaria or high-parasite density in endemic areas with lower use of antimalarials.
Sodemann
M
M
Projecto de Saúde de Bandim, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
Jakobsen
M S
MS
Mølbak
K
K
Alvarenga
I C
IC
Martins
C
C
Aaby
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006169:Guinea-Bissau / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population
D000962:Antimalarials