title: Mobile phones improve case detection and management of malaria in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent introduction of mobile phones into the rural Bandarban district of Bangladesh provided a resource to improve case detection and treatment of patients with malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  During studies to define the epidemiology of malaria in villages in south-eastern Bangladesh, an area with hypoendemic malaria, the project recorded 986 mobile phone calls from families because of illness suspected to be malaria between June 2010 and June 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on phone calls, field workers visited the homes with ill persons, and collected blood samples for malaria on 1,046 people. 265 (25%) of the patients tested were positive for malaria. Of the 509 symptomatic malaria cases diagnosed during this study period, 265 (52%) were detected because of an initial mobile phone call.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mobile phone technology was found to be an efficient and effective method for rapidly detecting and treating patients with malaria in this remote area. This technology, when combined with local knowledge and field support, may be applicable to other hard-to-reach areas to improve malaria control.
authors: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: Chai S
authors: CS
authors: Prue
authors: Kerry L
authors: KL
authors: Shannon
authors: Jacob
authors: J
authors: Khyang
authors: Laura J
authors: LJ
authors: Edwards
authors: Sabeena
authors: S
authors: Ahmed
authors: Malathi
authors: M
authors: Ram
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Shields
authors: Mohammad S
authors: MS
authors: Hossain
authors: Gregory E
authors: GE
authors: Glass
authors: Myaing M
authors: MM
authors: Nyunt
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Sack
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Sullivan
authors: Wasif A
authors: WA
authors: Khan
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D040421:Cell Phone; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012424:Rural Population; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*
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