Etiology of Uncomplicated Fever in Children <5 in Rural Zanzibar

During the last 6 years Zanzibar has undergone a dramatic change in malaria epidemiology and burden of disease, with a marked decline of Plasmodium falciparum malaria among febrile children from approximately 30% to 1% or below and a reduction of crude child mortality of 50%. Millions of children in Africa die of neonatal disorders, acute respiratory tract infections (ARI), diarrhea, malaria, measles, HIV and malnutrition. A majority of these illnesses are also a common cause of febrile illness in out-patient departments. However, most of the few fever studies made in Africa are hospital based Very few studies on etiology of childhood febrile disease have been conducted on first level health facilities in the least developed countries in Africa. This study will therefore focus on children between 2 months to 5 years of age that have been diagnosed with a negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for malaria and their causes of fever at the first referral level in out-patient clinics in Zanzibar.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients between 2-59 months of age with confirmed fever, with a measured axillary temperature of ≥37.5˚C, or history of fever within the preceding 24 hours.
• Presenting at the health facility from 8.00 to 16.00 Monday to Friday.
• Informed consent.
• Able and willing to complete stipulated follow-up.

Exclusion criteria

• Decision by the clinician to refer the patient to another health facility than the PHCC where the study is conducted.
• Symptoms/ signs of severe disease that requires immediate referral from the PHCC as defined by the clinicians. These symptoms/signs of severe disease are according to the IMCI guidelines.