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Severe malaria in children in Yemen: two site observational study

Abdullah Al-Taiar1, Shabbar Jaffar, Ali Assabri

  • 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, PO Box 13078, Sana'a, Yemen. a_m_altaiar@yahoo.com

BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|October 21, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Severe malaria significantly burdens Yemen

Area of Science:

  • Malariology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Malaria poses a significant health challenge in Yemen.
  • Understanding severe malaria's clinical impact is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Assess the health service burden of malaria in Yemen.
  • Describe severe malaria clinical presentations in children.
  • Identify mortality predictors in pediatric severe malaria cases.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective observational study conducted in two Yemeni hospitals (Taiz and Hodeidah).
  • Included children aged 6 months to 10 years.
  • Analyzed clinical data and outcomes of severe malaria cases.

Main Results:

  • 17% of pediatric admissions were for suspected severe malaria, with seasonal variation.
  • Key presentations included respiratory distress (40%), severe anemia (37%), and cerebral malaria (8%).
  • Mortality was predicted by low Blantyre coma score, seizures, female sex, and hyperlactataemia; severe anemia and respiratory distress were not significant predictors.

Conclusions:

  • Severe malaria represents a substantial burden on Yemeni health services.
  • Clinical presentations share similarities with African regions but exhibit key differences.
  • Case fatality rates are higher among girls.
Abstract

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