Malaria and dengue fever in febrile children entering healthcare facilities in Mwanza, Tanzania
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Abstract
Plasmodium spp. infections and cases of malaria are a long-standing public health problem
for children living in middle- and low-income countries. Dengue virus causes an emerging
under-recognized disease burden. A cross sectional study was conducted between March
2020 and December 2021 to determine the status of malaria and dengue fever, and the
associated factors in children living in Mwanza, Tanzania. Clinical features were recorded;
blood samples were analyzed using dengue NS1 rapid diagnostics test (NS1-RDT), malaria
rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) and PCR and microscopy for malaria parasites. Descriptive
analysis was based on infection status; odds ratio and confidence interval were used to
determine the factors associated with dengue fever and malaria. The prevalence of malaria
in the 436 children included in the final analysis was 15.6%, 8.5%, and 12.1% as determined
by MRDT, blood smear examination and PCR, respectively. The prevalence of dengue
fever determined by the NS1-RDT was 7.8%. Body rash, muscle and joint/bone pain were
associated with a positive rapid dengue test result. Retro-orbital pain characterized Plasmo dium spp. and dengue virus co-infections. Clinical signs and symptoms could not readily dif ferentiate between malaria and dengue fever patients or patients co-infected with both
causative agents underscoring the urgent need for the accurate laboratory diagnostics.
Additional large-scale studies are required to assess the epidemiological burden of acute
febrile illness in developing countries and to produce data that will guide empirical treatment.
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PLOS ONE, 19, 10, PLOS, San Francisco, California, US, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309613