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Acute Otitis media, malaria and pyrexia in the under five age group

Y B Amusa1, T A B Ogunniyi, O O Onayade

  • 1ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, OAUTHC, Ile Ife. yamusa@oauife.edu.ng

West African Journal of Medicine
|November 10, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Acute Otitis Media (AOM) affects 29% of Nigerian children under five with pyrexia. This common childhood infection is most prevalent in the first two years of life.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute Otitis Media (AOM) is a frequent childhood illness, leading to many pediatrician visits.
  • Knowledge regarding AOM incidence in Nigeria is limited.
  • Under-five children presenting with pyrexia are a key demographic for AOM studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of AOM in Nigerian children under five with pyrexia.
  • To compare the incidence of AOM as a cause of pyrexia with that of malaria in the same population.
  • To analyze AOM prevalence across different age groups within the under-five demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study involving 200 children aged 2 weeks to 5 years with rectal temperatures ≥38°C.
  • Data collection included questionnaires for demographic information and physical examinations.
  • Otoscopic examinations and microscopic analysis of blood smears for malaria parasites were conducted.

Main Results:

  • AOM was diagnosed in 58 (29%) of the 200 children studied.
  • The highest incidence of AOM occurred in children aged 12-24 months.
  • Malaria parasitemia was present in 81 (43.5%) children, with 21 (10.5%) having co-existing AOM.

Conclusions:

  • AOM is a significant cause of pyrexia in Nigerian children under five, affecting 29% of those studied.
  • AOM incidence peaks in the second year of life and is lowest in the fifth year.
  • Malaria is more prevalent than AOM, but co-infection occurs, highlighting the need for comprehensive diagnosis.
Abstract

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