Splenic infarction during acute falciparum malaria: A case report

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology
• Radiology

Background:

• Splenomegaly is a frequent finding in malaria patients.
• Splenic infarction is an uncommon but serious complication of malaria.
• Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for patient outcomes.

Observation:

• A case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria presented with abdominal pain and recurrent fever during treatment.
• Elevated D-dimer levels were observed.
• Abdominal CT confirmed splenic infarction.

Findings:

• Conservative medical management, including analgesics and anticoagulants, effectively resolved abdominal pain and fever.
• Follow-up CT scans at six months demonstrated complete splenic recovery.
• Splenic infarction should be suspected in malaria patients with these clinical and laboratory findings.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering splenic infarction in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in malaria patients.
• Suggests that conservative medical management is a viable and effective treatment strategy for splenic infarction in malaria.
• Emphasizes the role of imaging and D-dimer in diagnosing and monitoring this rare complication.