Background: The World Health Organisation has recommended the use of malaria rapid detection and testing in communities without access to laboratory facilities. This study was carried out to assess the effects of malaria rapid diagnostic testing on the outcome of home-based managed fever in children less than five years in Mbonge Health District, in Cameroon.
Materials and Methods: The design was a parallel randomized controlled trial in which 124 febrile children were recruited and randomized either to be submitted to malaria rapid diagnostic tests (intervention) or to be managed presumptively (control).
Results: Sixty-two febrile children were assessed per group and mean time to fever clearance was 0.54 days (95% CI: -0.88, -0.20) lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (p=0.007). The risk of referral to a health facility was reduced by 88% (RR=0.12: 95%CI: 0.03, 0.59; p=0.007). No effect was observed on the proportion of children being admitted (RR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.12, 1.09; P=0.05), mean time of admission duration (MD= -1.13, 95%CI:-4.90, 0.70; P=0.118) and the outcomes of admission observed.
Conclusion: Implementing Rapid Diagnostic Tests in home-basedcare in the under fives produced desirable fever outcomes as compared to presumptive home-based managed fever. Hence this study provides evidence that the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests will give better outcomes for home-based care of fever compared to presumptive treatment in children less than five years in an endemic area.

Keyword:malaria, rapid diagnostic tests, effects, under fives,home-based care.

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