Pathways to Diagnose Infectious Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Rural Mozambique.

Abstract

Background: Schistosomiasis, HIV, and tuberculosis frequently lead to pulmonary hypertension in low- and middle-income countries. Lack of specific testing and limited access to right heart catheterization hamper confirmation of the etiology of pulmonary hypertension due to schistosomiasis. In addition, low health literacy and poor socioeconomic status further compromise prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment. Clinical algorithms for early screening, including hand-held echocardiography and point-of-care testing performed by non-specialists, are needed in rural Sub-Saharan Africa to decentralize care and improve outcomes. Methods: We describe a case of pulmonary hypertension diagnosed in a child living in Mozambique, to discuss the challenges for the diagnosis of infectious pulmonary arterial hypertension in rural settings in Africa, based on a short literature review.