PREVALENCE AND PATTERN OF ANTIBIOTIC USE IN MALARIA TREATMENT IN A SECONDARY HEALTHCARE FACILITY

*Osagiator Nosakhare, Isabel Naomi Aika and Emoghena Itakpe

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Malaria remains one of the most common and widely treated infections in tropical countries including Nigeria. Treatment of malaria is complicated in the presence of typhoid fever which requires the use of antibiotics. Proper diagnosis is usually needed to exclude typhoid fever and the subsequent use of antibiotics with malaria therapy, since inappropriate use contributes to antimicrobial resistance. Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence of the co-administration of antibiotics in malarial treatment and the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the General Outpatient Pharmacy Department (GOPD) of Central Hospital, Benin city, Edo state, Nigeria. Structured interview questionnaire was used for data collection and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS] version 22. Descriptive statistics was carried out on all variables. Results: A total of 276 respondents participated in the study. About 97(35.1%) conducted a malaria test on current hospital visit. 117(42.4%) said antibiotics were prescribed alongside their antimalarials the last time they treated malaria before their current hospital visit. About 185(67%) of respondents used artemisinin-based combination therapies the last time they treated malaria. 151(54.7%) of current prescription for malaria treatment had an antibiotic. The most prescribed antibiotic is Amoxicillin clavulanic acid 38(13.7%). Conclusion: The findings from this study indicate that more than half of the prescriptions for treatment of malaria had an antibiotic majority of which do not have a laboratory basis for it. This suggests that most prescribers practice presumptive treatment with antibiotics which is a culprit for antimicrobial resistance.

Keywords: Malaria, Antimalarial drugs, Pharmacists, Patients, Antibiotics.