Clinical Trials Registration
fever, malaria, febrile diseases, Fever, febrile, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
MALARIA
clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04081051.In this paper, we report the primary findings of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of point-of-care tests combined with a training-and-communication package in reducing antibiotic prescriptions for fever management in Burkina Faso.Fever is the most common presenting clinical symptom in children attending healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa [The introduction of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria into routine healthcare is a major innovation in the management of febrile diseases in malaria-endemic areas; their introduction has considerably reduced unnecessary prescription of antimalarials [Capitalizing on the successful management of malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to the deployment of the respective RDTs [18,19], the introduction of point-of-care tests (POCTs) that can be implemented in rural areas (without laboratory facilities) to diagnose other causes (bacterial or viral) of fever will create an opportunity to improve the management of febrile diseases in areas without laboratory facilities. Correct and timely diagnosis of febrile diseases remains essential for appropriate therapeutic prescription within a reasonable time to avoid fatalities due to late and/or discordant prescription of antimicrobials.This clinical study was conducted to assess the impact of a package of interventions, including a combination of diagnostic tests, algorithms, and the training-and-communication (T&C) package, on clinical outcomes and antibiotic prescription patterns in febrile patients attending healthcare clinics in 2 health facilities in Burkina Faso.