Assessing the prevalence of infection among children with moderate acute malnutrition

Abstract

Background: The global burden of acute malnutrition remains unacceptably high, mainly in poor resource settings, and the most affected group are the children. Two groups of acute malnutrition can be differentiate: moderate and severe. For those children with severe acute malnutrition, the recommendations are clear, they receive an effective nutritional treatment and are checked and treated for some of the most important comorbidities. Nevertheless, when we are in front of a case of moderate acute malnutrition, none of those are taken into account. It has been seen that children with moderate acute malnutrition are at a high risk of remain malnourished or even worsen their condition the year after they receive the recommended nutritional treatment. That means that their management is not working well. We believe that this issue can be not only about finding the optimal nutritional support, but also about the well managing of the possible concomitant conditions. Some infectious diseases that are very common in poor resource settings can be playing a critical role in their capability of recovery. So, it will be important to study the possible presence of those conditions, so that in the future further research could be done about this issue and its impact on the malnourished children’s health. Objective: The goal of this study is to assess the prevalence of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, geohelminths and schistosomiasis in children with moderate acute malnutrition, and to compare it to the prevalence in those children with severe acute malnutrition. Design: This is a cross-sectional study carried out at the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz in Angola, that will last two years in total. Methods: Diagnostic tests to determine the presence of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, geohelminths and schistosomiasis will be performed in children under the condition of acute malnutrition that arrive to the Nutritional Service of the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz. Clinical and analytical additional data will also be recorded