[Reliability of clinical studies in the diagnosis of malaria fever in West African endemic areas].

We have studied 930 febrile cases in a savanna area of Burkina Faso. We have diagnosed malarial fevers according to the only clinical data in 333 cases and it was confirmed in 154 cases by parasitological study; for 597 cases a non malaria reason was given according to the only clinical data and it was confirmed in 507 cases by biological studies. On the whole the error rate was of 28% on the clinical examination alone and this proportion was equal or superior whatever the parasitological threshold was. The clinical examination is not allow by it self to diagnose a malaria fever case.