Malaria parasite density and body temperature in children under 10 years of age in Calabar, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

1,188 children under 10 years of age who attended the children's Emergency Clinic were examined from January to December 1988. Their axillary temperatures were recorded and thick and thin blood smears made to determine the malaria prevalence rate and the parasite density. The results show a high prevalence rate (44.8%) for malaria and this was stable throughout the year. The number of subjects with parasite densities of 100,000/mm3 and over, increased progressively with increase in body temperature such that 74.9% of the parasitemic subjects had high grade temperatures of 38 degrees C and over, while only 11.8% had moderate temperatures of 37.5-37.9 degrees C. The ratio of parasitemic afebrile to parasitemic febrile patients was in the order of 16, suggesting that parasitaemia is usually accompanied by fever. There was a steady rise in temperature with parasite density up to 39.5 degrees C, when further increase in parasite density apparently caused no further rise in temperature, suggesting a self-protective efficient feed back mechanism.

ABSTRACT

PIP Fever due to malaria may be continuous , intermittent, remittent, irregular, or absent. This study, therefore, investigates whether a relationship exists between body temperature and parasitemia, which could prove helpful in diagnosing and treating children with febrile illness. 1188 children under age 10 attending the children's Emergency Clinic in Calabar, Nigeria, throughout 1988 were examined. The malaria prevalence rate and parasite density were found from measuring axillary temperatures and analyzing thick and thin blood smears. The malaria prevalence rate was found to be stable at 44.8% over the year. The number of children with parasite density of 100,000/sq. mm and higher increased progressively with body temperature. 74.9% of parasitemic children had high-grade temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius and over, while 11.8% had a moderate temperature of 37.5-37.9 degrees Celsius. These results suggest that parasitemia is usually accompanied by fever. Further, temperature increased steadily with parasite density, up to 39.5 degrees Celsius, beyond which point increases in parasite density failed to produce additional rises in temperature.