[Neonatal screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in Mauritania]

We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study aiming to identify risk factors associated with G6PD deficiency, its frequency and geographic distribution in Nouakchott, in order to provide useful informations to monitor it. As this disease has never previously been studied in Mauritania, we tried to define the epidemiological profile and the burden of morbidity related to G6PD deficiency in a newborn population in two health structures in the city of Nouakchott.

This study was conducted in two hospitals in Nouakchott, at the Maternity and Infant Hospital and at the Health Center in Sebkha between August and October 2015. A sampling of 523 newborns having different sexes was enrolled in the study. Screening was based on BinaxNow G6PD test, followed by quantitative confirmation in positive patients. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS20.

G6PD deficiency was higher in male newborns (15% vs 7% p = 0.007) and, in particular, in black children (15% vs 8% p = 0.001). The prevalence of G6PD deficiency in the study population was 11.09% (58/523).

To our knowledge, this is the first study on G6PD deficiency in the Mauritanian population. It provides important informations on the epidemiological features of G6PD deficiency in the region of Nouakchott. A degree of variability exists in the occurrence of G6PD deficiency in the ethnic groups.