Epidemiology and Outcomes of Pediatric Fever in a Rural District of Southern Mozambique: 17 Years of Morbidity Surveillance - Summary - MDSpire

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Pediatric Fever in a Rural District of Southern Mozambique: 17 Years of Morbidity Surveillance

  • By

  • David Torres-Fernandez

  • Jessica Dalsuco

  • Cristina Garcia-Mauriño

  • Núria Balanza

  • Marta Valente

  • Sara Ajanovic

  • Rosauro Varo

  • Jaime Fanjul

  • Justina Bramugy

  • Antonio Sitoe

  • Llorenç Quintó

  • Tacilta Nhampossa

  • Edith Taylor

  • Fio Vialard

  • Arsenio Nhacolo

  • Bàrbara Baro

  • Anelsio Cossa

  • Zumilda Boca

  • Sergio Massora

  • Andrea Alemany

  • Inácio Mandomando

  • Pere Millat-Martinez

  • Pedro Aide

  • Quique Bassat

  • November 28, 2025

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To describe the epidemiology, trends, and clinical outcomes of febrile pediatric outpatient clinic visits and inpatients in Southern Mozambique over a 17-year period.

Key Findings:
  • Total of 664,223 outpatient visits and 23,166 hospitalizations analyzed.
  • Most frequent diagnoses included malaria (33.5%), upper respiratory tract infections (27.8%), and lower respiratory tract infections (10.1%).
  • Marked annual decline in diagnosis frequencies from 2004 to 2020, especially among inpatients.
  • All-cause 7-day mortality was 0.1% for outpatients and 2.2% for inpatients.
  • Sepsis and meningitis had the highest CFRs (9%-16%).
  • Malnutrition and HIV infection were significant contributors to inpatient mortality.
Interpretation:

Malaria, respiratory tract infections, and acute gastrointestinal infections are the predominant causes of fever and mortality in children, with decreasing trends over time, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic and management tools.

Limitations:
  • Retrospective nature of the study may limit data accuracy.
  • Potential underreporting of cases and misclassification of diagnoses.
Conclusion:

The study underscores the importance of epidemiological surveillance in understanding pediatric febrile illnesses and the necessity for enhanced early diagnosis and clinical management strategies in low-resource settings.

Original Source(s)

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Pediatric Fever in a Rural District of Southern Mozambique: 17 Years of Morbidity Surveillance

  • by David Torres-Fernandez, Jessica Dalsuco, Cristina Garcia-Mauriño, Núria Balanza, Marta Valente, Sara Ajanovic, Rosauro Varo, Jaime Fanjul, Justina Bramugy, Antonio Sitoe, Llorenç Quintó, Tacilta Nhampossa, Edith Taylor, Fio Vialard, Arsenio Nhacolo, Bàrbara Baro, Anelsio Cossa, Zumilda Boca, Sergio Massora, Andrea Alemany, Inácio Mandomando, Pere Millat-Martinez, Pedro Aide, Quique Bassat

  • November 28, 2025

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