Authors: Sékangué Obili G, Ossibi Ibara BR, Adoua Doukaga T, Ekat Martin, Angonga Pabota E, Ellenga-Mbolla BF
Objective: To determine the prevalence of severe malaria in young adults and find out associated factors.
Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study of severe malaria cases recorded in the Infectious Diseases Department between April 2018 and April 2019.
Results: This study covers 60 cases (15.62% of admissions) of patients aged 37.68 +/- 15.50 (16-78), female (n = 39, 65%), students (n = 18) 30%), single (n = 40, 66.7%), low-income (n = 32, 53.3%), and immunocompromised to HIV type 1 (n = 15, 25%) living in Brazzaville (100%). The insecticide-treated mosquito net had not been used in the majority of cases (n = 55, 90%). Fever and headache were the most common reasons for consultation in 80% and 76.7%, respectively. Neurological failure was found in 35 patients (58.3%). There was one coma among 31.6% of cases. Other signs of severity were respiratory failure (n = 3, 5%), jaundice (n = 7, 11.7%), anemia (n = 17,
28.3%), and hyperparasitaemia (n = 7 ; 11.7%). Thickness was positive in 56 cases (93.3%) and parasitaemia was greater than 4% in all patients (100%). Artesunate was the most administered molecule in 41 patients (68.3%) and the average duration of its use was 3.0 days ± 1.2 (1-5 days). The mean duration of hospitalization was 5.52 days ± 2.53 (2-14 days). In 59 patients (98.3%) there was a favorable evolution. Lethality was 1.7% due to anemic shock.
Conclusion: It comes out after discussion that the severe malaria of adults remains a current situation at the Brazzaville CHU. The neurological form is the most common and the management is easy. It is therefore important to strengthen the preventive measures of this parasitic endemic.
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