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[Imported malaria in Emergency Department]
E R Bregani1, F Della Mura, T Ceraldi
1Divisione di Medicina d'Urgenza, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milano. rino_bregani@yahoo.it
Recenti Progressi in Medicina
|April 5, 2000
Summary
Diagnosing malaria can be challenging due to non-specific symptoms, especially in emergency settings. Early suspicion and microscopic blood examination are crucial for accurate malaria diagnosis in returning travelers.
Area of Science:
- Tropical Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Malaria diagnosis is often delayed due to non-specific symptoms, complicating emergency department care.
- Imported malaria cases present diagnostic challenges for physicians unfamiliar with tropical diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the diagnostic difficulties of malaria in an emergency setting.
- To review cases of imported malaria and their clinical presentation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 8 malaria cases diagnosed between September 1995 and February 1999.
- Inclusion of patient origin, travel history, and diagnostic methods used (blood smears).
Main Results:
- Five cases in European travelers and three in extra-European immigrants were identified.
- Malaria incidence peaked post-holidays for Europeans; immigrants showed year-round distribution.
- Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae infections were confirmed via blood smears.
- All patients responded well to mefloquine treatment.
Conclusions:
- The non-specific nature of malaria symptoms necessitates a high index of suspicion in febrile patients returning from endemic areas.
- Microscopic blood examination remains the definitive diagnostic tool for malaria, even with other abnormal laboratory findings.