Acute bacterial meningitis among children, in Manhiça, a rural area in Southern Mozambique

Introduction: Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is one of the most severe diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although data for the continent is very limited, more than one million cases are estimated per year, with mortality and life-long sequelae occurring in 50% of these cases. Methods: As part of the clinical management of children admitted to the Manhiça District Hospital, information on cases of ABM was recorded. We analysed data from June 1998 to November 2003. Results: During the study period, 475 cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 20,173 children <15 years of age admitted to hospital. Culture results confirmed 71 (15%) cases of ABM. The most prevalent bacterial aetiologies were Streptotoccus pneumoniae (pneumococcus, n=31), Haemophilus influenzae (n=13) and Neisseria meningitis (n=8). Other important bacteria were Streptococcus sp. (n=7), Salmonella sp. (n=4) and Staphylococcus aureus (n=3). Crude incidence rates of ABM and pneumococcal meningitis were 20/100,000 and 10/100,000 children-year-at-risk, respectively. Incidences were more than three times higher in the <1 year age group. Overall case fatality rate was 36%, and was highest for H. influenzae and pneumococcal meningitis (55% and 45%, respectively, p=0.044). Pneumococcal susceptibility was 81% for oxacillin and 93% for chloramphenicol. For H. influenzae isolates, susceptibility was 54% for ampicillin and 62% for chloramphenicol. Conclusions: S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae are the main aetiologies responsible for the high burden of morbidity and mortality associated with ABM in rural Mozambique. These findings are important to evaluate treatment guidelines and potential impact of control measures

Acute bacterial meningitis among children, in Manhiça, a rural area in Southern Mozambique.

INTRODUCTION: Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is one of the most severe diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although data for the continent is very limited, more than one million cases are estimated per year, with mortality and life-long sequelae occurring in 50% of these cases. METHODS: As part of the clinical management of children admitted to the Manhiça District Hospital, information on cases of ABM was recorded. We analysed data from June 1998 to November 2003. RESULTS: During the study period, 475 cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 20,173 children <15 years of age admitted to hospital. Culture results confirmed 71 (15%) cases of ABM. The most prevalent bacterial aetiologies were Streptotoccus pneumoniae (pneumococcus, n=31), Haemophilus influenzae (n=13) and Neisseria meningitis (n=8). Other important bacteria were Streptococcus sp. (n=7), Salmonella sp. (n=4) and Staphylococcus aureus (n=3). Crude incidence rates of ABM and pneumococcal meningitis were 20/100,000 and 10/100,000 children-year-at-risk, respectively. Incidences were more than three times higher in the <1 year age group. Overall case fatality rate was 36%, and was highest for H. influenzae and pneumococcal meningitis (55% and 45%, respectively, p=0.044). Pneumococcal susceptibility was 81% for oxacillin and 93% for chloramphenicol. For H. influenzae isolates, susceptibility was 54% for ampicillin and 62% for chloramphenicol. CONCLUSIONS: S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae are the main aetiologies responsible for the high burden of morbidity and mortality associated with ABM in rural Mozambique. These findings are important to evaluate treatment guidelines and potential impact of control measures.

Invasive pneumococcal disease in children<5 years of age in rural Mozambique.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children<5 years of age living in a rural area of southern Mozambique. METHODS: As part of the clinical management of children admitted to Manhiça District Hospital, prospective surveillance for invasive bacterial disease was conducted from June 2001 to May 2003. The level of antibiotic resistance of the isolates was also analysed. RESULTS: Pneumococcus was the most commonly isolated bacterium, accounting for 212 episodes. The estimated crude incidence rate of IPD in the study area among children<5 years of age was 416/100,000 per child-year at risk. The youngest age group (<3 months) had the highest incidence (779/100,000). Cases were detected during both rainy and dry seasons. The most common clinical diagnosis was pneumonia, made in 146/212 (69%) of the episodes of IPD. The overall case fatality rate was 10%, being highest among children with pneumococcal meningitis (5/9=56%). Pneumococcal isolates were highly susceptible to penicillin (86% susceptible and 14% with intermediate resistance) and chloramphenicol (98% susceptible). In contrast, up to 37% of the isolates tested were non-susceptible to cotrimoxazole. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence rates of IPD and associated mortality shown in this study highlight the need for pneumococcal vaccines in rural Africa, which must be effective in infants and young children.

Invasive pneumococcal disease in children<5 years of age in rural Mozambique

Objectivos Estimar a incidência e as características epidemiológicas do pneumococo invasivodoença (DPI) em crianças de <5 anos de idade residentes em uma área rural do sul de Moçambique.Métodos Como parte do manejo clínico de crianças internadas em Manhiçum Hospital Distrital,A vigilância prospectiva para doença bacteriana invasiva foi realizada de junho de 2001 a maio de 2003. OO nível de resistência antibiótica dos isolados também foi analisado.Resultados Pneumococcus foi a bactéria mais comumente isolada, correspondendo a 212 episódios. Oa taxa bruta de incidência estimada de DPI na área de estudo entre crianças <5 anos de idade foi de 416/100.000por criança-ano em risco. A faixa etária mais jovem (<3 meses) apresentou a maior incidência (779/100.000).Os casos foram detectados durante as estações chuvosa e seca. O diagnóstico clínico mais comum foipneumonia, feita em 146/212 (69%) dos episódios de DPI. A taxa de letalidade geral foi de 10%;sendo maior entre as crianças com meningite pneumocócica (5/9 » 56%). Os isolados de pneumococo foramaltamente suscetível à penicilina (86% suscetível e 14% com resistência intermediária) e clor-anfenicol (98% suscetível). Em contraste, até 37% dos isolados testados não foram suscetíveis acotrimoxazol.Conclusões As taxas de incidência de DPI e mortalidade associada apresentadas neste estudo evidenciam a necessidade devacinas pneumocócicas na África rural, que devem ser eficazes em lactentes e crianças pequenas.

Efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and combination therapy with artesunate in Mozambican children with non-complicated malaria.

This paper reports a two-phase study in Manhiça district, Mozambique: first we assessed the clinical efficacy and parasitological response of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine (CQ), sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and amodiaquine (AQ), then we tested the safety and efficacy in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, of three combinations: AQ + SP, artesunate (AR) + SP and AQ + AR. Based on the WHO (1996, WHO/MAL/96.1077) in vivo protocol, we conducted two open, randomized, clinical trials. Children aged 6-59 months with axillary body temperature > or = 37.5 degrees C and non-complicated malaria were randomly allocated to treatment groups and followed up for 21 days (first and second trial) and 28 days (first trial). The therapeutic efficacy of AQ (91.6%) was better than that of SP (82.7%) and CQ (47.1%). After 14 days, 69% of the strains were parasitologically resistant to CQ, 21.4% to SP and 26% to AQ. Co-administration of AQ + SP, AR + SP and AQ + AR was safe and had 100% clinical efficacy at 14-day follow-up. The combination therapies affected rapid fever clearance time and reduced the incidence of gametocytaemia during follow-up.

Efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine, sulphadoxine­pyrimethamine and combination therapy with artesunate in Mozambican children with non-complicated malaria

This paper reports a two-phase study in Manhiça district, Mozambique: first we assessed the clinical efficacy and parasitological response of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine (CQ), sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and amodiaquine (AQ), then we tested the safety and efficacy in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, of three combinations: AQ + SP, artesunate (AR) + SP and AQ + AR. Based on the WHO (1996, WHO/MAL/96.1077) in vivo protocol, we conducted two open, randomized, clinical trials. Children aged 6-59 months with axillary body temperature > or = 37.5 degrees C and non-complicated malaria were randomly allocated to treatment groups and followed up for 21 days (first and second trial) and 28 days (first trial). The therapeutic efficacy of AQ (91.6%) was better than that of SP (82.7%) and CQ (47.1%). After 14 days, 69% of the strains were parasitologically resistant to CQ, 21.4% to SP and 26% to AQ. Co-administration of AQ + SP, AR + SP and AQ + AR was safe and had 100% clinical efficacy at 14-day follow-up. The combination therapies affected rapid fever clearance time and reduced the incidence of gametocytaemia during follow-up.