Prevalence of Malaria and Typhoid Co-infection amongst Residents of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria and typhoid co-infection is of tremendous public health concern in Nigeria and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of the co-infection was investigated in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. A total of one hundred (100) blood samples were collected from patients with signs and symptoms of malaria and typhoid. These were then examined for malaria parasite using Giemsa stained thick blood films and typhoid fever using widal tube and agglutination tests. Positive widal samples with titre values greater ≥1:80 were regarded as significant and further subjected to blood culture. The socio-demographic factors examined revealed that about 43% were males and 57% were females. About 41% tested positive to malaria despite 85% admitting being on local and orthodox antimalarial therapies during presentation. A total of 64 (64%) gave significant titre (≥ 1/80) for Salmonella, however, only 11 (17%) of these gave positive blood cultures. Interestingly, those with positive blood cultures were also co-infected with malaria.