Epidemiological, Clinical and Evolutionary Aspects of Human African Trypanosomiasis in Children in Nola

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Background: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) occurs in three historical foci in the Central African Republic. Objective: To describe the morbi-mortality of childhood HAT in rural Central African Republic with the aim of early management. Methods: Descriptive and analytic cross-sectional study conducted from January 1, 2017 to March 30, 2018 at Nola prefectural hospital. This study was included all children seen as outpatients and/or hospitalized in the pediatric wards, in whom the diagnosis of HAT was confirmed. Statistical analysis was performed using Epi-info software. Results: Forty children were included from Bilolo (60%), Nola (30%) and Salo (10%). The sex ratio was 0.66 with a median age of 8.65 ± 12.48 years. Fever (82.5%), nocturnal insomnia (75%), daytime somnolence (67.5%), headache (65%), polyarthralgia (62.5%), convulsions 52.5% (n = 21), tremor (27.5%), trypanidism (7.5%) and delirium (2.5%) were the main functional signs. Examination signs were adenopathy (52.5%), paresthesia (30%), decreased cutaneous-abdominal reflexes (25%) and osteoarticular reflexes (17.5%), hyperesthesia (20%), extrapyramidal hypertonia (15%) and depression (2.5%). The children were in the lymphatic-blood phase in 65% of cases, and meningoencephalitis in 35%. Pentamidine was administered in 65% of cases. Four children died and 6 had neurological sequelae. There was an association between age under 5, Bilolo’s focus, the children’s history and the severity of the disease. Age under 5, gender, household, children’s activity, history and occurrence of sequelae were also associated. Conclusion: HAT remains a permanent threat to Central African children. Any clinical presentation combining long-term infectious signs and unexplained neurological or neuropsychological disorders must be treated with caution.

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