Prevalence of Congenital and Neonatal Malaria Cases Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital in Gusau, North-West Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Malaria is a significant public health challenge and is endemic in Nigeria. Transmission through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes occurs throughout the year. Although malaria infection in newborns has been considered rare, recent reports suggest otherwise. Objective: To determine the prevalence, clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of malaria cases managed in the neonatal unit of Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, Nigeria. Method: The case folders of all neonates admitted with malaria in the neonatal unit from January 2019 to December 2023 were retrieved. The extracted information included age at diagnosis, sex, maternal antenatal status, antimalarial chemoprophylaxis taken during pregnancy, treatment given and outcome in terms of discharge, referral, discharge against medical advice (DAMA) and death. Ethical approval was obtained with code number FMC/2021/985/008/NHREC/TR/0001/24/02/2023. Results: Of the 6,340 neonates admitted during the study period, 634 had malaria, giving a prevalence of 10%. There was male preponderance. Fever was the commonest clinical presentation. The treatment outcome was good, as 98% of neonates with malaria recovered fully following administration of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria in this study was 10%. Newborns admitted with fever should be screened for malaria parasites, as early detection and treatment are associated with a good prognosis.