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Plasmodium vivax malaria: is it actually benign?

Harpal Singh1, Ankit Parakh, Srikanta Basu

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, New Delhi, India. dr harpal81@yahoo.co.in

Journal of Infection and Public Health
|June 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Plasmodium vivax malaria can cause severe complications in children, including anemia, thrombocytopenia, and organ dysfunction. Recognizing severe vivax malaria is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Malariology
  • Clinical tropical medicine

Background:

  • Plasmodium vivax (Pv) malaria is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of severe malaria in pediatric populations.
  • Understanding the spectrum of severe manifestations is essential for effective clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively analyze and describe the diverse severe clinical, hematological, and biochemical manifestations of Plasmodium vivax malaria in children.
  • To highlight the potential severity and unusual complications associated with Pv malaria.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of medical records of children (0-18 years) diagnosed with Pv malaria monoinfection.
  • Inclusion criteria: confirmed Pv malaria via peripheral blood film and/or rapid diagnostic test (RDT).
  • Analysis of clinical presentations, hematological parameters, and biochemical markers.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-three pediatric patients with Pv malaria were analyzed.
  • High prevalence of severe anemia (34%), thrombocytopenia (96%), and cerebral malaria (3 cases).
  • Significant rates of liver dysfunction (17.3%), jaundice, and renal dysfunction (26%) were observed, with one fatal outcome.

Conclusions:

  • Plasmodium vivax malaria can present with unusual and life-threatening complications in children.
  • The designation 'Severe Vivax Malaria' should be considered as a distinct clinical entity in medical guidelines.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the etiopathogenesis and optimize treatment strategies for severe Pv malaria.
Abstract

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