BMJ  2004;329 (20 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7476.0-a

Malaria is overdiagnosed in Tanzania

Misdiagnosing malaria in Tanzania is associated with a failure to treat alternative causes of severe infection. Reyburn and colleagues (p 1212) prospectively observed 4474 patients diagnosed with severe malaria in 10 Tanzanian hospitals during a period of one year. Fewer than a third of adults had the disease, and most children in areas of moderate or low transmission were parasite-free. Many of those who died of severe febrile disease who had no parasites had been treated with antimalarials but not antibiotics.

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Relevant Article

Overdiagnosis of malaria in patients with severe febrile illness in Tanzania: a prospective study

Hugh Reyburn, Redepmta Mbatia, Chris Drakeley, Ilona Carneiro, Emmanuel Mwakasungula, Ombeni Mwerinde, Kapalala Saganda, John Shao, Andrew Kitua, Raimos Olomi, Brian M Greenwood, and Christopher J M Whitty
BMJ 2004 329: 1212. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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