BackgroundIn southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, malaria transmission is stable with seasonal fluctuations. Different measurements can be used to monitor disease burden and estimate the performance of control programmes. Repeated school-based malaria prevalence surveys (SMPS) were conducted from 2007 to 2014 to generate up-to-date surveillance data and evaluate the impact of an integrated vector control programme.MethodsBiannual SMPS used a stratified, randomized and proportional sampling method. Schools were randomly selected from the entire pool of facilities within each Health Area (HA). Subsequently, school-children from 6 to 12 years of age were randomly selected in a proportional manner. Initial point-of-care malaria diagnosis was made using a rapid detection test. A matching stained blood film was later examined by expert microscopy and used in the final analysis. Data was stratified and analysed based on age, survey time and location.ResultsThe baseline SMPS (pre-control in 2007) prevalence was approximately 77%. From 2009 to 2014, 11,628 school-children were randomly screened. The mean age was 8.7 years with a near equal sex ratio. After exclusion, analysis of 10,493 students showed an overall malaria prevalence ratio of 1.92 in rural compared to urbanized areas. The distribution of Plasmodium falciparum malaria was significantly different between rural and urban HAs and between end of wet season and end of dry season surveys. The combined prevalence of single P. falciparum, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale infections were 29.9, 1.8 and 0.3% of those examined, respectively. Only 1.8% were mixed Plasmodium species infections. From all microscopically detected infections (3545 of 10,493 samples examined), P. falciparum represented 88.5%, followed by P. malariae (5.4%) and P. ovale (0.8%). Cases with multiple species represented 5.3% of patent infections. Malaria prevalence was independent of age and gender. Control programme performance contributed to a significant decrease in mean P. falciparum infection density in urban compared to rural locations. Some rural areas remained highly refractory to control measures (insecticide-treated bed nets, periodic indoor residual spraying).ConclusionThe SMPS is a useful longitudinal measurement for estimating population malaria prevalence and demonstrating disease burden and impact of control interventions. SMPS can identify refractory areas of transmission and thus prioritize control strategies accordingly.
IntroductionMalaria is still a major public health concern in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its morbidity and mortality challenge the actual strategies of the fight agains malaria. This study was aimed to describe the epidemiology, the clinical caracteristics and the risk factors of death associated to severe malaria in the pediatric population under 5 years at Sendwe Hospital of Lubumbashi.MethodsThis analytical retrospective study was conducted in Lubumbashi, in the province of Haut-Katanga. All patients under 5 years hospitalized for severe malaria were registered from January 2014 to December 2016.ResultsAmong the 3,092 patients hospitalised during our study period, 452 (14.6%) were admitted for severe malaria. The average age was 27.04 months, the male sex was the most affected (53.54% with the sex-ratio 1.15). The most frequent forms of gravity noticed were cerebral malaria (48.23%) and severe anemia (46.90%). Death was noted in the evolution in 28.32%. Repeated convulsion (OR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.47-3.48), coma (OR = 3.55; 95% CI: 2.19-5.74) and severe acute malnutrition (OR = 3.32; 95% CI: 1.56-7.06) were asscociated with a high risk of death.ConclusionThis research shows that severe malaria is still an important cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in Lubumbashi. Neurologic and anemic forms are the most frequent. The predictive signs of death are: repeated convulsions, coma and severe acute malnutrition.
IntroductionLe rotavirus est un problème de santé publique, non seulement dans les pays en développement où tous les enfants sont infectés avant l’âge de deux à trois ans mais aussi dans les pays développés où les conditions d'hygiène sont bonnes. La présente étude est la première à fournir des informations sur la prévalence de l'infection à rotavirus dans les diarrhées aiguës des nourrissons dans la ville de Lubumbashi. Elle s'est fixée comme objectifs de déterminer la fréquence hospitalière ainsi que la saisonnalité, les caractéristiques sociodémographiques, cliniques et évolutives de l'infection à Rotavirus chez les nourrissons admis à l'hôpital Jason Sendwe de Lubumbashi pour une diarrhée aiguë.MéthodesIl s'agit d'une étude descriptive et transversale menée pendant la période allant du 1er janvier au 31 décembre 2012. Les paramètres épidémio-cliniques et évolutifs (âge, sexe, saison, signes cliniques, nombre journalier de selles et évolution) des enfants diagnostiqués positifs au rotavirus ont été comparés à ceux des enfants dont le test au rotavirus était négatif. Le degré de signification était de 5%.RésultatsNous avons récolté 193 cas de diarrhées aiguës dont 104 nourrissons étaient infectés par le rotavirus soit 53,8%. Des taux élevés des diarrhées à rotavirus sont enregistrés au cours de la saison sèche comparativement à la saison des pluies (p0,05). Par ailleurs, les enfants infectés par le rotavirus étaient 6 fois plus susceptibles de présenter une déshydratation modérée/sévère (p0,05).ConclusionLe rotavirus est confirmé dans la ville de Lubumbashi et touche souvent les enfants d’âge ≤12 mois, pendant la saison sèche sans distinction de sexe et conduit rapidement à une déshydratation modérée/sévère. Une prise en charge adaptée et précoce permet d’éviter les décès et l'assainissement du milieu, le lavage des mains, la prise d'eau potable et la vaccination contre le rotavirus sont les mesures préventives les plus efficaces contre les rotavirus et à conseiller dans notre communauté.
BackgroundMalaria prevalence in the Mulumbu Health Area in Lualaba Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo has remained high (>70 %) despite repeated vector control (indoor residual spray) and mass insecticide-treated bed net coverage. Therefore, a pilot study was implemented to attack the parasite directly and demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of community case management of malaria (CCMm) using trained community health workers (CHWs).MethodsA 13 month prospective evaluation of CCMm was undertaken in 14 rural villages. Focus group discussions and structured interviews were conducted in pre- and post-intervention periods to assess community acceptability of CCMm. Weekly data collected by CHWs assessed program impact over time, matched with malaria school-based prevalence surveys (MSPS) in the Mulumbu Health Area (CCMm study arm) compared to a comparison (non-CCMm) arm in the Mpala Health Area approximately 25 km apart.ResultsOverall population perception of the CCMm was highly positive. 6619 community contacts were managed by CHWs from which 1433 (21.6 %) were malaria positive by rapid detection tests during the 10 month intervention. Among the malaria infected, 94.7 % (1358) were recorded as ‘uncomplicated’ infections with 99.7 % provided full course of treatment. CHWs referred 278 (4.2 %) patients deemed ‘complicated’ to a designated primary health center for advanced care. While pre-intervention MSPS data revealed significantly higher (p = 0.0135) malaria in the CCMm area compared to the non-CCMm area, at post-intervention there was no statistical difference (p = 0.562) between the two areas. Notably, for the first time, no malaria-related deaths were recorded in the 14 CCMm intervention villages during observation.ConclusionCommunity case management of malaria was shown to be an effective and promising strategy for prompt and effective management of malaria. It was well accepted by the community and showed evidence of a reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality. Further refinement of CCMm implementation, cost implications and sustainability is advised before expanding the programme.
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