[Pleuropneumopathies in children in an infectious pathology department in Dakar. Epidemiological, clinical and radiological features. Apropos of 150 cases].

The high rate of pleuropulmonary afflictions in children makes this pathology a daily concern for the practitioner in both industrialized and developing countries. This study concerns 150 patients aged between 0 and 15 years admitted to the Infectious Illnesses Unit at Dakar (Fann) U.H.C. between January 1st, 1985 and December 31st, 1987. The following observations are made: in this Unit, a morbidity of 1.7% has been recorded for pleuro-pneumopathies, which occur throughout the year with high points in January and during the rainy season; the 0-5 year age group is the most affected, with a sex ratio of 1/2 for males; hospitalization, which can be long, averages 8 days; a combination of measles and whooping cough, present in 36.6% of the cases, provides a prime breeding group for pleuro-pneumopathies; in 77% of the cases, recovery requires at least 20 days, partly because of delay in consultation. 10% require more than 30 days; the small proportion of patients vaccinated (14% completely treated) underlines the need for publicity and mass health education. Clinical polymorphism is normal; however, 80% of the children were found to be hyperthermic while (only) 6% show a productive cough. From a radiological point of view, suppurated afflictions are the most numerous, with a majority of alveolar or mixed attacks. Treatment produced generally satisfactory results in 83.7% of the cases.