[Malarial encephalopathy and disseminated intravascular coagulation (author's transl)]

Clinical and anatomical studies of a case of malarial encephalopathy are described in a 51 year old man. In view of the typical symptomatology it was important to ascertain an period even brief of stay in an endemic area. Only when this was confirmed the appropriate investigations could be planned (in thic case thick blood drop test) to identify the parassite. The physiopathological mechanisms through which the malarial infection causes the parenchymal lesions are considered. Such lesions according to many Authors are of ischemic nature, due to machanical obstruction of capillaries by the invaded erytrocytes with damage to the endotelial wall and thrombus formation. These lesions cause anoxic and necrotic damage of the parenchyma and, in certain cases, the appearance of serious haemorrhagic syndromes where the initial stage is the conglutination of the erytrocytes followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome. The importance of this syndrome is emphasized as well AA. the role of the association of the specific antimalarial treatment with the use of drugs against blood conglutination, thrombosis and oedema.