Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026
In Vivo Assessment of Rodent Plasmodium Parasitemia and Merozoite Invasion by Flow Cytometry
Published on: April 5, 2015
Malaria in Sydney, Australia: Lessons learned from case management
Kelly A Thompson1, Ben J Marais1, Alison Kesson1
1The Children's Hospital at Westmead and the Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Insights
Malaria in Australian children often presents with non-specific symptoms, and a quarter may be asymptomatic. Diagnostic vigilance is crucial for children with potential malaria exposure, especially recent migrants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Tropical medicine
- Clinical diagnostics
Background:
- Malaria remains a significant global health concern, posing diagnostic challenges in non-endemic settings.
- Early and accurate diagnosis is critical for effective treatment and preventing severe outcomes in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical presentation and epidemiological profile of pediatric malaria cases diagnosed in Australia.
- To inform diagnostic strategies and clinical awareness for malaria in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for children diagnosed with malaria.
- Data collected from The Children's Hospital Westmead between 2000 and 2010.
Main Results:
- Forty pediatric malaria cases were identified over 11 years.
- Fever was present in 75% of cases, but 20% were asymptomatic.
- Common Plasmodium species included P. falciparum (68%); P. vivax was also identified.
- Median diagnosis time was 32 days post-arrival for refugees and immigrants.
Conclusions:
- Malaria symptoms in children are often non-specific, necessitating high clinical suspicion.
- Diagnostic vigilance is essential for children with any potential malaria exposure history.
- Asymptomatic parasitemia should be considered in recent migrants from endemic regions.
Aim:
To evaluate the clinical presentation and profile of malaria cases diagnosed at a tertiary children's hospital in Australia
Methods:
A retrospective file review of children diagnosed with malaria at the Children's Hospital Westmead from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2010.
Results:
During the 11-year study period, 40 children were diagnosed with malaria; 30 (75%) presented with fever; 14 (35%) complained of nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain; and eight (20%) were completely asymptomatic. The median time between arrival in Australia and malaria diagnosis was 32 (range 4-434) days. Sixteen (40%) were refugees from sub-Saharan Africa, six (15%) were immigrants from South-East Asia, and seven (18%) recently travelled to or visited friends and family in malaria-endemic areas. Most (68%) cases had Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax was identified in four cases with exposures in India and Papua New Guinea; one had mixed P. falciparum and P. vivax infection.
Conclusion:
Malaria signs and symptoms were non-specific, with an absence of fever in a quarter of cases. Diagnostic vigilance is required in all children with potential malaria exposure in the preceding year. Asymptomatic parasitaemia should be considered in recent migrants from malaria-endemic areas.
Related Concept Videos
00:58Symbiosis
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...