title: Frequency of co-existence of dengue and malaria in patients presenting with acute febrile illness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the frequency of co-existence of malaria and dengue fever in patients presenting with acute febrile illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Military Hospital Rawalpindi from June to November 2012. A total of 500 patients with complaint of acute febrile illness were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Preliminary data was collected on a pretested proforma. Blood samples of patients were tested for dengue serology and malaria parasite. Results were entered in respective proforma. Co-existence was considered present when a patient had both dengue serology and malaria parasite slide positive. SPSS 20 v was used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total, 349 (69.8%) were males and 151 (30.2%) females. Dengue serology was positive in 16 (3.2%); 81(16.2%) had malaria parasite slide positive; 403 (80.4%) had none of the two findings. Co-existence of both dengue and malaria was nil among the whole sample. In males, 67 (13.4%) had malaria, while 11 (2.2%) had dengue. In females, 14 (2.8%) had malaria, while 5 (1%) suffered from dengue fever.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-existence of dengue and malaria was zero per cent in 500 patients visiting Military Hospital Rawalpindi. More studies shall be conducted to find out whether the reason of having zero per cent co-existence is that dengue or/and malaria epidemic did not occur in 2012 or whether there are some other factors involved.
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hisam
authors.lastname: Mahmood-ur-Rahman
authors.forename: Mohammad Babar
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kadir
authors.forename: Naila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azam
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors