@article{fdi:010049094,
  title = {{W}hat would {PCR} assessment change in the management of fevers in a malaria endemic area ? {A} school-based study in {B}enin in children with and without fever},
  author = {{F}aucher, {J}ean-{F}rancois and {A}ubouy, {A}gn{\`e}s and {B}{\'e}h{\'e}ton, {T}odo{\'e}gnon and {M}akoutode, {P}. and {A}biou, {G}. and {D}oritchamou, {J}ustin and {H}ouz{\'e}, {P}. and {O}uendo, {E}. and {D}eloron, {P}hilippe and {C}ot, {M}ichel},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {A} recent school-based study in {B}enin showed that applying a policy of anti-malarial prescriptions restricted to parasitologically-confirmed cases on the management of fever is safe and feasible. {A}dditional {PCR} data were analysed in order to touch patho-physiological issues, such as the usefulness of {PCR} in the management of malaria in an endemic area or the triggering of a malaria attack in children with submicroscopic malaria. {M}ethods: {PCR} data were prospectively collected in the setting of an exposed (with fever)/non exposed (without fever) study design. {A}ll children had a negative malaria rapid diagnostic test ({RDT}) at baseline, were followed up to day 14 and did not receive drugs with anti-malarial activity. {T}he index group was defined by children with fever at baseline and the control group by children without fever at baseline. {C}hildren with submicroscopic malaria in these two groups were defined by a positive {PCR} at baseline. {R}esults: {PCR} was positive in 66 (27%) children of the index group and in 104 (44%) children of the control group respectively. {T}he only significant factor positively related to {PCR} positivity at baseline was the clinical status (control group). {W}hen definition of malaria attacks included {PCR} results, no difference of malaria incidence was observed between the index and control groups, neither in the whole cohort, nor in children with submicroscopic malaria. {T}he rate of undiagnosed malaria at baseline was estimated to 3.7% at baseline in the index group. {C}onclusions: {T}reating all children with fever and a positive {PCR} would have led to a significant increase of antimalarial consumption, with few benefits in terms of clinical events. {N}on malarial fevers do not or do not frequently trigger malaria attacks in children with submicroscopic malaria.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{M}alaria {J}ournal},
  volume = {9},
  numero = {},
  pages = {224},
  ISSN = {1475-2875},
  year = {2010},
  DOI = {10.1186/1475-2875-9-224},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010049094},
}