Prevalence of clinically captured and confirmed malaria among HIV seropositve clinic attendants in five hospitals in Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria is associated with an increase in HIV viral load and a fall in CD4-cell count. Conversely, HIV infection disrupts the acquired immune responses to malaria and the efficacy of antimalarial drugs. This study was carried out in five Ghanaian hospitals to estimate the prevalence of clinically confirmed malaria among HIV patients by evaluating their hospital records.MethodsThis retrospective descriptive cross sectional study reviewed and collected data on malaria, using Case Record Forms from HIV patients’ folders in five hospitals in Ghana.ResultsThere were 933 patients records made up of 272 (29.2%) males and 661 (70.8%) females. Majority of the patients were aged between 21–40 (63.6%) years and the rest were between the ages 1–20 (2.8%) years, 41–60 (31.6%) years and 61–80 (2.1%) years of age.A total of 38.1% (355/933) of the patients were clinically suspected of having clinical malaria. Of these 339 (95.5%) were referred to the laboratory for confirmation of the diagnosis of malaria. Only 4.4% (15/339) of patients tested were confirmed as cases of malaria among the patients that were clinically suspected of having malaria and subsequently confirmed. Fever, was not significantly associated with a confirmed diagnosis of malaria [OR = 3.11, 95% CI: (0.63, 15.37), P = 0.142].ConclusionsThere was a 4.4% prevalence of confirmed malaria and 38.1% of presumptively diagnosed malaria from the case records of HIV patients from the selected hospitals in Ghana.

Immunological, Virological, Parasitic and Biological Profile of Malaria/HIV Co-Infection in 18 Years Old and Above Patients in Lubumbashi (DR Congo)

“…Our results seem to be very low compared to the Tay and Fo studies where prevalence were respectively 11.75% and 11.8% [19] [20]. However compared to Adu-Gyasi in Ghana (4.4%) our prevalence is high [21]. Difference in timing of study would explained difference in results obtained in Tay and Fo due to the fact that these studies were conducted in the period of the year where malaria endemicity is high [22].…”

Plasmodium falciparum diagnostic tools in HIV-positive under-5-year-olds in two ART clinics in Ghana: are there missed infections?

“…In a study in other parts of Ghana by Adu-Gyasi et al [ 25 ], malaria prevalence in HIV positive patients was lower than the average national malaria prevalence. This is similar to the present study results; and may be attributed to co-trimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis (given with anti-retroviral therapy as recommended by the Ghana National Aids Control Programme) [ 26 ].…”

Malaria-attributable fraction of fever episodes among HIV-seropositive patients in the Western highland area of Cameroon

“…A study realized in Malawi on the attributable-fraction of malaria in febrile episodes, showed that 15% of reported fevers in HIV-positive subjects were due to Plasmodium infection [50]. Another study carried out in Ghana revealed that, the prevalence of confirmed malaria by the laboratory was 4.4% in seropositive patients [8]. The above mentioned estimates found in seropositive patients of endemic areas were both higher than the value obtained here in Western highland of Cameroon, which was 0.15%.…”

“…In holoendemic areas of malaria, plasmodial infection could have effects on HIV acquisition, as well as its progression and response to therapy [5][6][7]. Moreover, HIV infected individuals when bearing malaria parasites, have significant increase in viral load and decrease in T-lymphocytes CD4 count [8]. The phenomenon is even more severe in HIV infected adults [9].…”