Bed net related burns at Mulago national referral hospital, Uganda: a case series report.
BACKGROUND
Insecticide-treated bed nets are essential tools to prevent malaria in endemic regions, however, increasing trends in bed net related burns in Kampala, Uganda are concerning.


METHODS
Data were collected from burns unit admission records at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda for the years 2008-2011 inclusive. Retrospective analyses on the characteristics of patients admitted with bed net related burns within this period were conducted.


RESULTS
A total of 45 patients were admitted to the burns unit with bed net related burns during the study period. Most burns occurred among individuals who were 0-1 years old (33.3%) and 26-35 years old (24.2%) and the majority were male (71%). Bed net related burns at Mulago Hospital are severe, as evidenced by the fact that 15 of 45 patients died (crude mortality rate=33%) and that 26 patients (57.8%) had total body surface area burn percentages that were greater than 20%. The average length of stay in hospital for patients with bed net related burns was 30.4 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Organizations responsible for malaria prevention should consider incorporating fire and burn prevention awareness, strategies and training into their bed net distribution programs.
Department of Surgery, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: kalanziw15@gmail.com.
Edris W
EW
Kalanzi
School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Lyndsay M
LM
O'Hara
Office of Pediatric Surgical Evaluation and Innovation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Nathan N
NN
O'Hara
Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
James C
JC
Boyle
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057147:Mosquito Nets; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Bed net related burns; Epidemiology; Prevention; Uganda