title: Numbers of non-severe as well as cerebral malaria cases are decreasing with higher altitude in Burundi Highlands, but still remains high.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to assess the occurrence of malaria-positive cases in 4 rural Burundian hospitals during December 2011 placed at different altitudes above sea level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of malaria was made upon considering clinical symptoms, microscopic evaluation and rapid diagnostic test results. We performed analysis of patient's clinical data collected in 4 hospitals in Burundi to compare the occurrence of malaria at different altitudes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lowest incidence of malaria during December 2011 was detected at Murago Hospital (606 cases per month, 47.6%), which is located in the highest altitude, and the highest occurrence was in Gasura (1,559 cases, 91.3%), then in Rutovu (732 cases, 81.2%) and Buraniro (4,436 cases, 78.6%). Compared with other types of consultations (gynecological, HIV/AIDS, other tropical diseases), malaria was the most frequent reason for medical consultation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have observed the lowest occurrence of malaria at hospitals located in the highest altitude. Despite the lower number of malaria cases in higher altitudes, its impact on public health should not be underestimated.
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Murago, Burundi.
authors.forename: Thernelius
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oelnick
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Murago, Burundi.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paskova
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Rutovu, Burundi.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rasonyi
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Murago, Burundi.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Badanicova
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Murago, Burundi.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chabadova
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University Tropical Health Program, Hospital in Murago, Burundi.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Molnarova
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Health Care and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kulkova
authors.affiliation: St. Elisabeth University College of Health and Social Sciences, Department of Tropical Public Health, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Benca