Malaria: an audit of 56 cases admitted to a hospital

A 2-year prospective audit on the profile and outcome of malaria cases admitted to a general hospital was performed. Fifty-six cases were seen from January 1991 to December 1992, 52 of which were due to monoinfections with Plasmodium vivax. The main presenting complaints were fever, chills, sweats, myalgia, dry cough and headache. A significant percentage had anaemia (64.3%), thrombocytopaenia (57.1%), hyponatraemia (42.9%), and liver dysfunction (44.7%). Diagnosis rests on the demonstration of parasites in stained peripheral blood smears. None of the patients developed major complications. A high index of suspicion of malaria must be maintained in the medical evaluation of all patients and in particular, of returning travellers.