[Epidemiological data on children hospitalized with malaria from 1983 to 1992].

Authors record the manifestations on the child of the severe malaria epidemic that raged in Antananarivo. Using the hospitalisation registers of the Debré room, Pediatric Service "A", at the Hospital of Befelatanana as source documents, they underline some points: Concerning morbidity, the epidemic started in 1984, reached its highest point in 1988 (26.7%, of in patients) and began to fade away in 1992. Boys and girls were equally affected, with a majority among children of 5 years old and more (51 to 58% of cases). All patients came from the center of Antananarivo (33.5%) or mainly from the surroundings (66.5%). At the highest point of the epidemic, about half of the children were suffering from severe malaria (48.9%). Plasmodium falciparum was the parasite responsible for 93.3% of cases. It seems that mortality is not influenced by sex, age or home but two factors are especially observed: nutrition disorders and delay of hospitalisation. The quinine based treatment has stemmed mortality by neuropaludism since two years.