Real-world use of the CarestartTM glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase rapid diagnostic test to determine G6PD deficiency in Nigerian neonates

G6PD deficiency (G6PDd) is the most common X-linked genetic disease worldwide and the most common cause of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NH) in Nigeria. Screening for G6PDd has been recommended for over thirty years but is still not routinely done in Nigeria. We sought to investigate a low-cost rapid diagnostic test to determine G6PDd in Nigerian neonates. Enrolled neonates were screened using the CareStartTM G6PD point-of-care rapid diagnostic test; and mothers/caregivers of neonates with G6PDd were asked about their cord care product(s); transcutaneous bilirubin levels were done on neonates with G6PDd using the JM 103 meter. One hundred and forty neonates were enrolled between 15 January and 1 July 2022. Eighteen (12.8%) of all neonates enrolled and 13.9% of enrolled males (0% of females) were G6PDd. Seventeen of the mothers/caregivers of the G6PDd neonates were asked about cord care. The majority of mothers/caregivers (15/17, 88%%) reported including methylated spirits in their neonate's cord care; seven of these used chlorohexidine plus methylated spirits (41.2%) while only one mother/caregiver used chlorohexidine alone. One mother/caregiver used mentholatum alone and another used mentholatum, chlorhexidine gel, and methylated spirits. Maximum bilirubin levels for those infants with G6PDd ranged from 3.2 to 18.8 mg/dl with 16/17 (94.1%) of bilirubin levels exceeding 5.5 mg/dl. This study again highlights the need for large-scale G6PDd screening. Additionally, it highlights the need to correlate the type of cord care with the risk of NH in future studies.