[Malaria: medical and surgical complications]

The resurgence of malaria in Venezuela as an epidemic has caused an increase in the number of cases of this disease. 898 cases were registered in 1962 in contrast to 46,279 cases in 1988. This reality implies that all hospitals will have to face the increase of patients with this disease. Ten cases of malaria have been described and analyzed. These have been chosen for their medical and surgical complications, for which they were admitted to the "Hospital Universitario de Caracas" and "Hospital de Clínicas Caracas". Of these ten cases, eight were acquired in a natural way and two in an induced form. In six cases, the agent was P. falciparum; in three, P. vivax; in one, P. ovale and P.vivax combined. Five of the cases by P.falciparum were resistant to chloroquine, being necessary to treat them with a combination of quinine and other antimalaric drugs. Among the 10 described patients, there were: one case of splenic rupture in malaria by P. vivax, a severe case of anemia in a child with malaria by this same species and a case of relapse produced by P.vivax in another child with an insufficient radical treatment. The usual mistakes are observed in the management of malaria, such as a delay in the diagnosis and inappropriate radical treatment. As conclusion, publication of epidemiological, clinical and parasitological problems which are causing the actual epidemic, is recommended. This will be a guide in the fight against malaria, that must be considered again a national emergency.