Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of malaria and Covid-19 by PCR and serological tests in febrile patients in Lomé.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1 to October 31, 2020 in febrile patients ≥ 10 years in three health facilities in Lomé. Finger stick blood was collected to detect Plasmodium spp. using thin/thick smear and venous blood on EDTA tubes to test for malaria Histidin-Rich-Protein-2 antigen using rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M and G. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal samples was performed by rRT-PCR using GeneXpert.
Results: A total of 243 participants (61.7% of female) with median age 28 years (IQR 18-41) were included in the study. Prevalence of malaria was 25.1%, 95% CI [19.8-31.0] and 30.4%, 95% CI [24.7-36.7] for thin/thick smear and rapid malaria test, respectively. Eighteen patients (7.4%, 95% CI [4.4-11.5]) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and forty-two (17.3%, 95% CI [12.8-22.6]) were positive for IgM and/or IgG against SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 IgM seroprevalence was significantly higher in malaria RDT positive participants (33.8% vs. 10.1%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: This study confirms a possible cross-reactivity between Covid-19 and malaria in case of single use of rapid tests, suggesting a possible past contamination. In case of clinical signs related to Covid-19 in malaria-endemic areas, PCR screening should be requested in order to identify and isolate patients.
Keywords: Covid-19; Febrile patients; Malaria; Prevalence; Togo.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, malaria, Prevalence, Febrile patients, Togo., 【초록키워드】 serological test, SARS-CoV-2, IgG, IgM, cross-sectional, detection, Antigen, malaria, cross-reactivity, rRT-PCR, Contamination, Health, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, cross-sectional study, PCR, Serological tests, SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Immunoglobulin, RDT, Rapid diagnostic test, diagnostic tests, female, Patient, Clinical signs, patients, Blood, SARS-CoV-2 IgM, Rapid tests, Febrile patients, venous blood, health facilities, 95% CI, median age, Nasopharyngeal samples, finger, participant, EDTA, Plasmodium, positive, febrile, Clinical sign, nasopharyngeal sample, venous, EDTA tubes, identify, detect, conducted, was collected, was performed, significantly higher, EDTA tube, febrile patient, IQR, stick,