Authors : Esohe Amanda Igharo, Favour Osazuwa , Segun Abiodun Ajayi , Abiemwense Ebueku and Osariemen Igbinigie
Abstract: Malaria and typhoid continues to be a major public health problem worldwide and are known to present with clinically similar symptoms with fever being the major presentation. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of malaria and distribution of sero-antibodies to etiologic agents of typhoid in patients with febrile illness in General hospital, Ikare Akoko, Ondo state, Nigeria. The 234 patients with febrile illness clinically presenting with symptoms of malaria and typhoid without prior laboratory diagnosis for malaria and typhoid were used for the study. Giemsa stained thick and thin blood films were used to determine malaria parasitaemia. Serological prevalence of Salmonella species was done using the Widal agglutination tests. Of 234 patients with febrile illness studied, 173 (73.9%) and 88 (37.6%) were positive for typhoid and malaria, respectively. The 43 (18.3%) had malaria-typhoid co-infection. Malaria infection was higher in males 93 (53.7%) as compared to typhoid which was more prevalent in females, 47 (53.4%). The age group <5-15 years had the highest prevalence of malaria 27 (30.7%) and typhoid prevalence was highest in the age group 26-35, 66 (38.2%). S. typhi somatic O antigens was the most prevalent cause of typhoid 54 (23.1%) this was followed by S. paratyphi B-O 41 (17.5%), S. paratyphi C-O 39 (16.7%), S. paratyphi A-O 32 (13.7%), S. paratyphi A-H 31 (13.2%), S. typhi H 18 (7.7%), S. paratyphi B-H 15 (6.4%) and S. paratyphi C-H 10 (4.3%). The prevalence of typhoid and malaria was high in the subjects studied; typhoid was more prevalent than malaria, screening for typhoid among febrile patients of Ikare Akoko will be of utmost benefit.
Esohe Amanda Igharo, Favour Osazuwa , Segun Abiodun Ajayi , Abiemwense Ebueku and Osariemen Igbinigie , 2012. Dual Infection with Typhoid and Malaria in Febrile Patients in Ikare Akoko, Nigeria. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 7: 49-52.