[Cerebral malaria in adults at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in the Fann Hospital in Dakar, Senegal]. / Neuropaludisme de l'adulte a la clinique des mala- dies infectieuses du CHU de Fann de Dakar, Sénégal.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at describing cerebral malaria cases findings in the Fann Hospital in Dakar. Data were collected from patients files recorded from 2001 to 2005. One hundred and twenty nine cases of cerebral malaria were admitted to the clinic, accounting for 21.4% of all malaria cases. The sex-ratio M/F was 2.48 and the mean age of patients 28.24 years old +/- 13.7 [12-85 years old]. Patients presented with either coma (91.4%) or mental confusion (10.07%) along with fever (80.6%), convulsions (33.3%). Other severe malaria conditions were observed jaundice (7 cases), severe anaemia (5 cases), acute renal failure (3 cases), and circulatory collapse (3 cases). Acute pulmonary infection (4 cases) and Salmonella bacteraemia (2 cases) occurred as complications during patient's hospitalisation. The case fatality rate was 20.2% (26 deaths). No neurological sequelae were found among survivors. Cerebral malaria lethality is still high enough to urge for the improvement of working conditions in our clinic. Together with promotion of preventive measures in the community better health care services will help to reduce malaria related morbidity and mortality.