Post-injury malaria: a risk factor for wound infection and protracted recovery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of post-injury falciparum malaria on morbidity parameters in Cambodia.


METHODS
Retrospective study of 227 trauma patients managed at a surgical centre in Battambang, Cambodia.


RESULTS
Within 10 days of the injury, 42.7% of the study population developed symptomatic malaria. In patients with post-injury malaria, the rate of wound infection was 36.1% compared with 10.0% in patients without symptomatic malaria (95% confidence interval for difference 15.2-36.9%). The average hospital stay in the post-injury malaria group was 31.2 days compared with 19.4 days in the patients without the complication (95% confidence interval for difference 7.2-16.4 days).


CONCLUSIONS
Symptomatic malaria after trauma is common in Cambodia. Post-injury malaria seems to increase the risk of wound infection, delays postoperative recovery, and thus adds to the burden of trauma.
Sundet
Mads
M
Tromsoe Mine Victim Resource Center, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Tromsoe, Norway. tmc@unn.no
Heger
Tove
T
Husum
Hans
H
D000328:Adult; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery