Clinical and parasitological appraisal of patients with imported malaria

The study group comprised 118 patients suspected of malaria who underwent an examination following their return to Poland from the tropical countries. Evaluation of the admitted patients was based on epidemiological, clinical and parasitological criteria. The obtained data allowed to confirm acute malaria in 20 patients (16.9%) and malaria in the past, in 32 patients (27.1%). In the remaining 65 patients (55.1%) we excluded malaria. Malaria caused by P. vivax was confirmed in 5 patients, by P. falciparum in 9 patients. A mixed invasion was diagnosed in 6 patients including: P. falciparum and P. vivax in 3 cases; P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae in 2 cases; P. falciparum, P. vivax and P. ovale in 1 patient. We noted no relationship between the severity of the clinical course and IFA results. It was found an atypical clinical course of malaria and diagnostic difficulties in patients who used chemosuppression for malaria prophylaxis.