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Back Ground: Malaria and HIV/AIDS are the major priority medical challenges facing
sub-Saharan Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular and yet little has been known so
far on the clinical and public health implications of HIV and Malaria co-infection. Even
if the statistical effect is modest, any interaction between these two infections would have
public health significance.
Objectives: A cross sectional health institution based study was conducted between mid
October 2003 and mid January 2004 in three health facilities in Hadya Zone, Southern
Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of HIV malaria
co-infections in the area and to describe the clinical manifestations of malaria in HIV
positive and HIV negative malaria patients.
Subjects and methods: A total of 337 microscopically confirmed malaria patients in the
age range of 15-34 years were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used
to collect data on socio demographic and clinical variables. Physicians used a checklist of
physical findings during physical check up of patients. Anonymous HIV testing was done
on the blood samples of the patients using single ELISA technique by an experienced
laboratory technologist.
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Results: The HIV serostatus assessment revealed that 4.2% (14 out of 337) of the
patients were seropositive for HIV. No socio demographic difference was detected
between HIV positive and HIV negative malaria patients.
Conclusions and Recommendations: The study concluded that the current HIV
prevalence among P.faciparum malaria patients was not different from the HIV
seroprevalence in the general population in the area, based on the prevalence findings
from the national sentinel reports. No strong evidence suggesting an association between
HIV and malaria was identified. The need for further studies with improved
methodologies and designs is emphasized.
Key Words: HIV, Malaria, Coinfection, Health Institution, Ethiopia |
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