TITLE:
The Relative Prevalence of Typhoid and Malaria in Febrile Patients in Freetown, Sierra Leone
AUTHORS:
Michaella Siatta Kargbo, Lamin Daddy Massaquoi, Sallieu Kabay Samura, Xiaojing Meng, Fei Zou
KEYWORDS:
Fever, Malaria, Typhoid Fever, Widal Test, Co-Infection
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
23,
2014
ABSTRACT: Malaria and typhoid
fever are debilitating diseases responsible for the deaths of thousands of
lives annually. Over the last decade both diseases have received increasing
attention with particular focus on malaria. However, recent reports indicate an
increasing co-infection rate between mala- ria and typhoid fever. Familiar
signs and symptoms of both diseases have led to the belief in some communities
that it’s a new disease. In this study, we investigated the relationship
between mala- ria and typhi O and H antigens among patients reporting with
fever. Patients reporting with fever from April 2013-March 2014 were recruited
for the study. Our results showed that there was no association between having
malaria and typhoid fever infection. However, having fever was asso- ciated
with having both diseases. Also, fever among patients was more likely to be
caused by Sal- monella typhi O and H
antigens than plasmodium parasites. Infections of both diseases were higher in wet
season than in dry season. The study recommends that malaria and typhoid fever
intervention programs are increased in endemic areas. Also attention should be
paid to typhoid fever infection rates in the country.