Authors: Magassouba O, Cissoko Y, Konate I Dembele JP, Fofana A, Soumare M, Sogoba D, Toloba Y, Dao S
Aim: To study the epidemiology of Diseases with Epidemic Potential (DEP) in hospitalization at the infectious and tropical diseases department of the Point G University Hospital in Bamako, Mali.
Methods: We carried out a descriptive retrospective study of inpatients’ charts in the department from 2005 to 2014. As diseases with epidemic potential, we targeted mmeningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis, measles, chickenpox, viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF). All suspected or confirmed cases of diseases with epidemic potential from 2005 to 2014 were included in our study. Data were entered in and analyzed with SPSS version 20 software. We obtained the consent of the head of the department to collect and use the data.
Results: We selected 58 out of 2, 546 patients (2.8%) identified during the study period. Measles was the most frequent with 58.6% (34/58) followed by meningitis N. meningitidis with 32.8% (19/58), viral haemorrhagic fevers with 5.2% (3/58) and chickenpox with 3.4% (2/58). The sex ratio of patients was 1.6 (36 males for 22 females). The mean age was 31.50 ± 10.60 years old for measles, 38.27 ± 11.64 years old for viral haemorrhagic fevers, 38.26 ± 16.03 years old for meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis, and 39.98 ± 15.86 years old for chickenpox. All chickenpox cases three fourths (76.5%) measles cases were referrals. The hospital stay lasted from 7.67 ± 2.89 days for viral haemorrhagic fevers to 11.58 ± 13.27 days for meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis. The most fatal disease with epidemic potential was meningitis with 68.4% death rate. None of our patients with chickenpox died at the hospital.
Conclusion: Early management of these diseases with epidemic potential will significantly reduce their spread, morbidity and their mortality.
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