Clinico-hematological profile of children with Dengue and co-infection with Malaria: a hospital based study

Abstract

Background: The two most common vector borne diseases in the world are malaria and dengue. Co-infection infection is not unusual in a geographical region such as India, wherein both the vectors coexist. This study aimed to determine whether simultaneous malaria and dengue infection is serious in children than mono infection alone.

Methods: In this study all children with fever of less than 7 days duration were included in the study. Clinical inspection and laboratory analysis were performed in all instances, following a detailed history. Children were categorized under 3 categories, malaria (M), dengue (D) and coinfection (DM). For any statistical difference between groups, their clinical as well as hematological parameters were analyzed. SPSS software was used for the statistical studies.

Results: Malarial chills fever was also found in a substantial percentage of children with dengue. Superficial as well as profound bleeding were seen more often in the coinfected DM groups than D or M alone. In M group alone, jaundice and diarrhea were noted. In the segregated M and DM groups, the neurological indication, neurological involvement such as altered sensorium and seizure was noted at the same rate, whereas, there had been no occurrence in D group. Anemia was reported in all children, but M group showed the highest drop.

Conclusions: Severity criteria, neurological involvement such as altered sensorium and seizures were reported at same rate both in malaria and coinfection, whereas, none of the patients with dengue showed signs of seizure. Anemia relative to hematologic parameters, was considerably more prevalent in the malaria patients. Presence of bleeding in malaria and jaundice in dengue patients, should be considerably investigated for a coinfection.