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Greg Fegan

Bio: Greg Fegan is an academic researcher from Swansea University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Malaria. The author has an hindex of 35, co-authored 103 publications receiving 4150 citations. Previous affiliations of Greg Fegan include Kenya Medical Research Institute & Tulane University.


Papers
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TL;DR: In a rural area of The Gambia, bed nets in villages participating in a primary health-care (PHC) scheme were treated with permethrin and children aged 6 months to 5 years were randomised to receive weekly either chemoprophylaxis with maloprim or a placebo throughout the malaria transmission season, finding no evidence of an additional benefit of chemopophylaxis in preventing deaths.

442 citations

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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used post-mortem questionnaires to identify the most common causes of death in children under the age of one year but responsible for about 40% of deaths in children aged 1-4 years.
Abstract: Background data on child mortality and morbidity from malaria were obtained in a new study area in the centre of The Gambia, south of the river, chosen as the site for a malaria intervention trial. Infant and child mortality rates were 120 and 41 per 1000 respectively. Results obtained using post-mortem questionnaires suggested that malaria was an uncommon cause of death in children under the age of one year but responsible for about 40% of deaths in children aged 1–4 years. Ninety-two percent of deaths attributed to malaria occurred during or immediately after the rainy season. Parasite and spleen rates in children aged 1–5 years at the end of the malaria transmission season were 66% and 64% respectively. Malariometric indices were similar in primary health care (PHC) villages, selected as sites for an intervention with insecticide-treated bed nets and targeted chemoprophylaxis, and in smaller, non-PHC, control villages.

259 citations

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TL;DR: A combined approach of social marketing followed by mass free distribution of ITNs translated into child survival effects that are comparable with those seen in previous randomised controlled trials.

256 citations

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TL;DR: HIV, malnutrition and IBI are biologically associated with severe disease due to falciparum malaria rather than being simply alternative diagnoses in co-incidentally parasitized children in an endemic area.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, malnutrition, and invasive bacterial infection (IBI) are reported among children with severe malaria. However, it is unclear whether their cooccurrence with falciparum parasitization and severe disease happens by chance or by association among children in areas where malaria is endemic. METHODS: We examined 3068 consecutive children admitted to a Kenyan district hospital with clinical features of severe malaria and 592 control subjects from the community. We performed multivariable regression analysis, with each case weighted for its probability of being due to falciparum malaria, using estimates of the fraction of severe disease attributable to malaria at different parasite densities derived from cross-sectional parasitological surveys of healthy children from the same community. RESULTS: HIV infection was present in 133 (12%) of 1071 consecutive parasitemic admitted children (95% confidence interval [CI], 11%-15%). Parasite densities were higher in HIV-infected children. The odds ratio for admission associated with HIV infection for admission with true severe falciparum malaria was 9.6 (95% CI, 4.9-19); however, this effect was restricted to children aged 1 year. Malnutrition was present in 507 (25%) of 2048 consecutive parasitemic admitted children (95% CI, 23%-27%). The odd ratio associated with malnutrition for admission with true severe falciparum malaria was 4.0 (95% CI, 2.9-5.5). IBI was detected in 127 (6%) of 2048 consecutive parasitemic admitted children (95% CI, 5.2%-7.3%). All 3 comorbidities were associated with increased case fatality. CONCLUSIONS: HIV, malnutrition and IBI are biologically associated with severe disease due to falciparum malaria rather than being simply alternative diagnoses in co-incidentally parasitized children in an endemic area.

163 citations

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TL;DR: The effects of insecticide-impregnated bed nets on mortality and morbidity from malaria have been investigated during one malaria transmission season in a group of rural Gambian children aged 6 months to 5 years as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The effects of insecticide-impregnated bed nets on mortality and morbidity from malaria have been investigated during one malaria transmission season in a group of rural Gambian children aged 6 months to 5 years. Sleeping under impregnated nets was associated with an overall reduction in mortality of about 60% in children aged 1–4 years. Mortality was not reduced further by chemoprophylaxis with Maloprim ® given weekly by village health workers throughout the rainy season. Episodes of fever associated with malaria parasitaemia were reduced by 45% among children who slept under impregnated nets. The addition of chemoprophylaxis provided substantial additional benefit against clinical attacks of malaria; 158 episodes were recorded among 946 children who slept under impregnated nets but who also received chemoprophylaxis. Chemoprophylaxis reduced the prevalence of splenomegaly and parasitaemia at the end of the malaria transmission season by 63% and 83% respectively. Thus, insecticide-impregnated bed nets provided significant protection in children against overall mortality, mortality attributed to malaria, clinical attacks of malaria, and malaria infection. The addition of chemoprophylaxis provided substantial additional protection against clinical attacks of malaria and malaria infection but not against death.

144 citations


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Journal ArticleDOI
07 Feb 2002-Nature
TL;DR: There are multiple channels by which malaria impedes development, including effects on fertility, population growth, saving and investment, worker productivity, absenteeism, premature mortality and medical costs.
Abstract: Where malaria prospers most, human societies have prospered least. The global distribution of per-capita gross domestic product shows a striking correlation between malaria and poverty, and malaria-endemic countries also have lower rates of economic growth. There are multiple channels by which malaria impedes development, including effects on fertility, population growth, saving and investment, worker productivity, absenteeism, premature mortality and medical costs.

2,320 citations

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TL;DR: ITNs are highly effective in reducing childhood mortality and morbidity from malaria, but universal deployment will require major financial, technical, and operational inputs.
Abstract: Background Malaria is an important cause of illness and death in many parts of the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. There has been a renewed emphasis on preventive measures at community and individual levels. Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are the most prominent malaria preventive measure for large-scale deployment in highly endemic areas. Objectives To assess the impact of insecticide-treated bed nets or curtains on mortality, malarial illness (life-threatening and mild), malaria parasitaemia, anaemia, and spleen rates. Search methods I searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group trials register (January 2003), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2003), MEDLINE (1966 to October 2003), EMBASE (1974 to November 2002), LILACS (1982 to January 2003), and reference lists of reviews, books, and trials. I handsearched journals, contacted researchers, funding agencies, and net and insecticide manufacturers. Selection criteria Individual and cluster randomized controlled trials of insecticide-treated bed nets or curtains compared to nets without insecticide or no nets. Trials including only pregnant women were excluded. Data collection and analysis The reviewer and two independent assessors reviewed trials for inclusion. The reviewer assessed the risk of bias in the trials, and extracted and analysed data. Main results Fourteen cluster randomized and eight individually randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Five trials measured child mortality: ITNs provided 17% protective efficacy (PE) compared to no nets (relative rate 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76 to 0.90), and 23% PE compared to untreated nets (relative rate 0.77, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.95). About 5.5 lives (95% CI 3.39 to 7.67) can be saved each year for every 1000 children protected with ITNs. In areas with stable malaria, ITNs reduced the incidence of uncomplicated malarial episodes in areas of stable malaria by 50% compared to no nets, and 39% compared to untreated nets; and in areas of unstable malaria: by 62% for compared to no nets and 43% compared to untreated nets for Plasmodium falciparum episodes, and by 52% compared to no nets and 11% compared to untreated nets for P. vivax episodes. When compared to no nets and in areas of stable malaria, ITNs also had an impact on severe malaria (45% PE, 95% CI 20 to 63), parasite prevalence (13% PE), high parasitaemia (29% PE), splenomegaly (30% PE), and their use improved the average haemoglobin level in children by 1.7% packed cell volume. Authors' conclusions ITNs are highly effective in reducing childhood mortality and morbidity from malaria. Widespread access to ITNs is currently being advocated by Roll Back Malaria, but universal deployment will require major financial, technical, and operational inputs.

1,708 citations

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1,484 citations

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Abstract:

1,392 citations