A STUDY involving New Zealand's Otago University has found that a number of African people were misdiagnosed with malaria, then treated for it, after being hospitalised with fevers.
More than 800 severely ill patients in Tanzania were analysed to understand how they got the fever. Prof John Crump of Otago University said the results show that fewer than two per cent of those tested did actually have malaria.
He said invasive bacterial infections such as typhoid fever and some infections associated with animals such as leptosporosis were common, but they were not considered nor diagnosed.
Prof Crump said the results of the study have already influenced the way hospitals diagnose and treat fevers in Tanzania. But, he said, the study signals a need for more research into the causes of fever in the tropics and appropriate treatment.
Malaria is one of the leading causes of deaths in Tanzania and approximately 80 per cent of malaria deaths occur among children below five years of age and pregnant women.
A recent national survey found that 18 per cent of children have malaria parasites and the prevalence in rural children is almost three times higher than urban children.
Tanzania is achieving dramatic improvements in effective malaria case management through implementation of the new treatment policy and the use of Artemisinin-based Combination therapy (ACT).
More than 800 severely ill patients in Tanzania were analysed to understand how they got the fever. Prof John Crump of Otago University said the results show that fewer than two per cent of those tested did actually have malaria.
He said invasive bacterial infections such as typhoid fever and some infections associated with animals such as leptosporosis were common, but they were not considered nor diagnosed.
Prof Crump said the results of the study have already influenced the way hospitals diagnose and treat fevers in Tanzania. But, he said, the study signals a need for more research into the causes of fever in the tropics and appropriate treatment.
Malaria is one of the leading causes of deaths in Tanzania and approximately 80 per cent of malaria deaths occur among children below five years of age and pregnant women.
A recent national survey found that 18 per cent of children have malaria parasites and the prevalence in rural children is almost three times higher than urban children.
Tanzania is achieving dramatic improvements in effective malaria case management through implementation of the new treatment policy and the use of Artemisinin-based Combination therapy (ACT).
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