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Malaria. A city hospital experience.
S Gordon1, D J Brennessel, J A Goldstein
1Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center-Queens Hospital Center Affiliation, Jamaica, NY.
Archives of Internal Medicine
|July 1, 1988
Summary
Malaria diagnosis is crucial for travelers presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms. Prompt recognition and treatment, especially for Plasmodium vivax malaria, can lead to uncomplicated outpatient management.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Tropical Medicine
- Parasitology
Background:
- Malaria remains a significant concern for international travelers.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis is essential for effective patient management.
- Understanding the clinical presentation of malaria in non-endemic settings is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical characteristics and diagnostic challenges of malaria cases.
- To identify key symptoms and patient demographics associated with malaria.
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes for malaria patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 24 malaria patients over five years.
- Analysis of patient demographics, Plasmodium species, symptoms, and diagnostic methods.
- Confirmation of diagnoses using thin blood smears.
Main Results:
- Twenty-three of 24 patients were foreign citizens.
- Plasmodium vivax (18 patients) was more common than Plasmodium falciparum (6 patients).
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (18 patients) and fever (21 patients) were prominent; diagnostic delay occurred in 4 patients admitted with unrelated diagnoses.
Conclusions:
- Malaria should be suspected in travelers with gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Co-infection with other parasites is possible.
- Plasmodium vivax malaria is often treatable as an outpatient condition due to its generally uncomplicated course.