High frequency of antibiotic prescription in children with undifferentiated febrile illness in Kenya

In a cohort of acutely ill Kenyan children, prescription of antimalarial therapy and malaria test results were well correlated, whereas antibiotic treatment was prescribed empirically to most of those who tested malaria negative. Clinical management of febrile children in these settings is difficult given the lack of diagnostic testing. Providers may benefit from improved clinical education and implementation of enhanced guidelines in this era of malaria testing, as their management strategies must rely primarily on critical thinking and decision-making skills.