PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION AND CEREBRAL MALARIA IN NIGERIAN CHILDREN

Eight (14 per cent) out of 57 consecutive cerebral malaria patients (a ll <5 years old) were malnourished, including one with marasmus and an other recovering from kwashiorkor. This was significantly lower than a mong other paediatric patients in the same children's emergency ward ( 112/319, i.e 35 per cent, P < 0.01). Poor outcomes (death or recovery with neurological deficits) were commoner in the malnourished group (4 /8) than the well nourished group (7/49) (P = 0.037, Fisher's exact te st). Malnourished children should receive malaria chemoprophylaxis dur ing nutritional rehabilitation.