Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25955522›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2015

Prevalence of bacterial febrile illnesses in children in Kilosa district, Tanzania.

Beatrice Chipwaza, Ginethon G Mhamphi, Steve D Ngatunga, Majige Selemani, Mbaraka Amuri, Joseph P Mugasa, Paul S Gwakisa

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
3.7field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 81 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Beatrice ChipwazaNelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania; Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania.
Ginethon G MhamphiSokoine University of Agriculture, Pest Management Center, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Steve D NgatungaNational Institute for Medical Research, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Majige SelemaniIfakara Health Institute, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Mbaraka AmuriJhpiego, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Joseph P MugasaNational Institute for Medical Research, Amani Medical Research Centre, Tanga, Tanzania.
Paul S GwakisaNelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania; Genome Science Centre and Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Ifakara Health Institute · TZNational Institute for Medical Research · TZSokoine University of Agriculture · TZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionBacterial etiologies of non-malaria febrile illnesses have significantly become important due to high mortality and morbidity, particularly in children. Despite their importance, there are few reports on the epidemiology of these diseases in Tanzania, and the true burden of such illnesses remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of leptospirosis, brucellosis, typhoid fever and urinary tract infections and their rate of co-infections with malaria.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Kilosa district hospital in Tanzania for 6 months. Febrile children aged from 2-13 years were recruited from the outpatient department. Patients were screened by serological tests such as IgM and IgG ELISA, and microscopic agglutination test.

resultsA total of 370 patients were enrolled; of these 85 (23.0%) had malaria parasites, 43 (11.6%) had presumptive acute leptospirosis and 26/200 (13%) had confirmed leptospirosis. Presumptive acute brucellosis due to B. abortus was identified among 26 (7.0%) of patients while B. melitensis was detected in 57 (15.4%) of the enrolled patients. Presumptive typhoid fever due to S. Typhi was identified in thirty eight (10.3%) of the participants and 69 (18.6%) had urinary tract infections. Patients presented with similar symptoms; therefore, the identification of these diseases could not be done based on clinical ground alone. Co-infections between malaria and bacterial febrile illnesses were observed in 146 patients (39.5%). Although antibacterials and/or anti-malarials were prescribed in most patients, some patients did not receive the appropriate treatment.

conclusionThe study has underscored the importance of febrile bacterial diseases including zoonoses such as leptospirosis and brucellosis in febrile children, and thus such illnesses should be considered by clinicians in the differential diagnoses of febrile diseases. However, access to diagnostic tests for discrimination of febrile illnesses is needed. This would allow febrile patients to receive the correct diagnoses and facilitation of accurate and prompt treatment.

Indexed as

AdolescentAgglutination TestsAnimalsAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibodies, BacterialAntibodies, ProtozoanAntimalarialsBrucellosisChildChild, PreschoolCoinfectionCross-Sectional StudiesDiagnosis, DifferentialDiagnostic Tests, RoutineFemaleFeverAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibodies, BacterialAntibodies, ProtozoanAntimalarialsImmunoglobulin GImmunoglobulin M

Identifiers

PMID25955522
PMCPMC4425467
OpenAlexW1883709604

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.