Epidemiological, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Facies of Malaria in Outpatient Medicine at NTHC-HKM

Malaria is an endemic parasitosis caused by plasmodium.The objective was to evaluate the epidemiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic profile of malaria in outpatient medicine at the NTHC-HKM of Cotonou.This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study, having covered a period of 11 years and 3 months (1/01/2010 to 31/03/2021).Patients who consulted the outpatient clinic of the NTHC-HKM of Cotonou during the study period were included.The diagnosis of malaria was made on the basis of a positive parasite density thick drop.Over 41,960 patients consulted during the period, 95 had malaria, a hospital incidence of 0.2%.Forty-seven patients (49.5%) were male.The mean age was 36.8±14.3years.The main symptoms were fever in 81 patients (85.2%), asthenia in 45 patients (47.3%) and arthromyalgia in 42 patients (44.2%).Clinically, the general condition was preserved in 61 patients (64.2%), pallor was noted in 4 patients (4.2%) and icterus in 2 patients (2.1%).Hepatomegaly was found in 2 patients (2.1%) and splenomegaly in 1 (1.0%).Biologically, anemia was found in 11 patients (11.6%).CRP was elevated in 10 patients (10.5%).Parasite density varied between 1,200-75,000 red blood cells per microliter.Therapeutically, 45 patients (47.3%) had taken self-medication before diagnosis.All diagnosed patients had been treated.Simple malaria is a pathology rarely encountered in adults in outpatient clinics.