Despite new diagnostic methods and expanded vaccination programmes, many children in Uganda continue to suffer from severe brain infections. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Africa. The researchers’ analysis highlights simple clinical signs that can help healthcare providers more quickly identify children at high risk of death.
The study followed 212 children aged 0 to 12 who were treated for suspected central nervous system infections at two hospitals in southwestern Uganda. Fifteen per cent of the children died during hospitalisation, and 18 per cent were discharged with neurological disabilities such as seizures or muscle weakness. Malaria and the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae were the most commonly identified causes.
Simple observations can provide crucial information
“Our results show that even in settings where advanced diagnostics are not always available, simple clinical observations can provide crucial information about which children are in greatest need of rapid care,” says Phuthumani Mlotshwa, doctoral student at the Department of Global Public Health and the study’s first author.
The infections were caused by several different microorganisms. Malaria was detected in 20 per cent of the children, and bacteria in the cerebrospinal fluid in 11 per cent. For nearly half of the cases, no specific pathogen could be identified, which the researchers say underscores the need for improved diagnostic tools.
“The combination of high mortality and significant disabilities among survivors shows that we need to strengthen prevention, diagnostics, and follow-up,” says Giulia Gaudenzi, researcher at the same department and the study’s senior author.
Source: Karolinska Institutet
