Current clinical presentation of malaria in Enugu, Nigeria.

This study examined the malaria situation in a malarial endemic area of Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was applied to 300 doctors practising in Enugu urban, Nigeria and confirmation of the clinical diagnosis by laboratory technique was done using 468 patients. The result shows a high prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection (96.4% in children, 87.0% in adults). Malaria positivity rate was 51.9% in children and 42.8% in adults. Fever, vomiting and anorexia were the commonest malaria symptoms in children, while headache, fever, chills and rigors were the commonest malaria symptoms in adults. The diagnostic practice of the doctors was clinical. Fever, vomiting and cough were found to be more associated with malaria parasitaemia in children, while in adults fever was found to be more associated with malaria parasitaemia. Chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine were the commonest drugs used for treating uncomplicated malaria, while quinine was the commonest drug used for treating severe malaria.