title: [Malaria infection and nutritional status: results from a cohort survey of children from 6-59 months old in the Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a reduction in the magnitude of endemic malaria reported in recent years, malaria and protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) still remain major causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa among children under five. The relationship between malaria and malnutrition remains a topic of controversy. We aimed to investigate malaria infection according to nutritional status in a community-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 790 children aged 6 to 59 months and residing in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was followed-up from April 2009 to March 2010 with monthly visits. Data on nutritional status, morbidity between visits, use of insecticide-treated nets and malaria parasitemia were collected at each visit. The Z scores height for age, weight for age and weight for height were computed using the reference population defined by the WHO in 2006. Thresholds for Z scores were defined at -3 and -2. A binary logistic model of the generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to quantify the association between PEM indicators and malaria parasitemia. Odds ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for season, children with severe stunting (height for age Z score<-3) were at lower risk of malaria parasitemia greater or equal to 5000 trophozoits/μL of blood as compared to those in with a better nutritional status (height for age Z score≥-2) (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.25-0.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severely stunted children are at a lower risk of high-level malaria parasitemia.
authors.affiliation: École de santé publique, département de biostatistique, Université libre de Bruxelles, campus Erasme, route de Lennik 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium. prudendeb@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Mitangala
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Donnen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hennart
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porignon
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bisimwa Balaluka
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zozo Nyarukweba
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cobohwa Mbiribindi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dramaix Wilmet
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001827:Body Height; D001831:Body Temperature; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000469:parasitology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000469:parasitology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials