Co-infection of malaria and typhoid fever among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at General Hospital, Wuse, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

A study co-infection of malaria and typhoid fever among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at General Hospital Wuse, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria, between March and May, 2015. Blood samples were obtained from the pregnant women by venipuncture technique and 4ml of whole blood collected and placed into EDTA bottle for malaria parasite and typhoid fever examination. A total of 200 pregnant women were examined. Field stained thick and thin blood films were used to detect malaria parasites in the samples while typhoid fever was diagnosed from each blood sample using Widal test kit. Out of the 200 persons sampled, 16(8.0%) tested positive for malaria, 86(43.0%) tested positive for typhoid fever. Co-infection of malaria and typhoid fever was highest in the age-group of 31-40 years, 8(11.11%) while͵≤ 20, 21-30 and 51-60 age-groups recorded no co-infection. Statistically, there is a significant difference on malaria-typhoid co-infection. There is need for massive health education campaign to educate the pregnant women who visit General Hospital, Wuse, to correct the wrong perception they have about malaria and typhoid fever for effective treatment and control of the diseases.

Keywords: Malaria; typhoid fever; co-infection; Wuse.