The changed clinical spectrum of malaria due to drug resistance

The clinical spectrum of 14 cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria (PF) who received empirical treatment and suffered from initial prolonged mild illness culminating into severe complicated malaria are presented. The empirical treatment (ET) consisted of adequate doses of chloroquine in 9, chloroquine with pyrimethamine-sulphadoxine combination in 3 and pyrimethamine-sulphadoxine alone in 2 cases. Moderate fever and weakness persisted for 7 to 28 days leading to anaemia and progressive hepatosplenomegaly in all patients. Other clinical features noticed included jaundice in 5, sudden shock with pulmonary oedema in 4, cerebral malaria and renal failure in 3 each and multiorgan in 4 cases. Subsequent investigations revealed PF rings in 9 cases, mixed PF and vivax infection in 3 and PF gametocytaemia only in 2 patients. Seven patients received quinine, 4 quinine with doxycycline and 3 were given quinine followed by injection artemether. Exchange transfusion was carried out in two cases. Four patients died. The empirical treatment with first line antimalarials alters the clinical profile of resistant PF, makes it milder temporarily, delays in confirming the diagnosis and leads to high mortality. There is urgent need for more diligent early workup for these patients who linger on with moderate pyrexia, progressive hepatosplenomegaly, anaemia and jaundice after ET till better diagnostic methods are available to avoid the prolonged illness and high mortality.