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Comparative effects of vivax malaria, fever and diarrhoea on child growth

Gwenyth Lee1, Pablo Yori, Maribel Paredes Olortegui

  • 1Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.

International Journal of Epidemiology
|January 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Plasmodium vivax malaria significantly hinders child growth, causing greater weight and linear growth deficits than diarrhea or fever. Controlling vivax malaria and diarrhea can improve child development in endemic regions.

Area of Science:

  • Child Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatric Growth & Development

Background:

  • The impact of Plasmodium vivax malaria on child growth beyond acute illness is not well understood.
  • This study evaluates vivax malaria's effect on child growth, comparing it to diarrheal disease and non-specific fever.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the impact of Plasmodium vivax malaria on ponderal and linear growth in young children.
  • To compare the growth deficits caused by vivax malaria with those from diarrheal disease and fever.

Main Methods:

  • A 43-month longitudinal cohort study of 442 children aged 0-72 months in the Peruvian Amazon.
  • Longitudinal models analyzed growth velocities (weight and height) over 2-, 4-, and 6-month periods.
  • Disease incidence (vivax malaria, diarrhea, fever) was correlated with growth parameters.

Main Results:

  • A single vivax malaria episode resulted in significantly greater weight loss (138.6g, 108.6g, 61g at 2, 4, 6 months) and linear growth reduction (0.070cm, 0.083cm at 4, 6 months) compared to diarrhea and fever.
  • Despite larger individual impacts, diarrhea had a greater cumulative effect on growth deficits due to its higher incidence rate (>10-fold).
  • Fever was not associated with linear growth deficits.

Conclusions:

  • Plasmodium vivax malaria episodes cause substantial growth deficits in children.
  • Diarrheal disease, though less impactful per episode, cumulatively affects growth more due to higher frequency.
  • Implementing disease control for both vivax malaria and diarrhea is crucial for improving child growth in endemic areas.
Abstract

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