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[Malaria attack: a very late relapse due to Plasmodium vivax]
J Maslin1, A Cuguillère, D Bonnet
1Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Alphonse Laveran, Marseille Armées.
Bulletin De La Societe De Pathologie Exotique (1990)
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Plasmodium vivax malaria late forms typically resolve within two years. However, a rare case persisted over twenty years in an immunocompromised patient, highlighting the need for vigilance.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Tropical Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Plasmodium vivax malaria is a significant global health concern, typically characterized by relapses within two years.
- Late relapses or persistent forms of P. vivax malaria are exceptionally rare, challenging conventional understanding of disease duration.
- Immunocompromised individuals may present atypical disease courses and prolonged infections.
Observation:
- * A case of P. vivax malaria presenting over twenty years after exposure in an endemic area was documented.
- * The patient was immunocompromised, undergoing treatment for two terminal-stage cancers with radio-, chemo-, and corticotherapy.
- * The patient also presented with anemia and thrombocytopenia, complicating the clinical picture.
Findings:
- * Diagnosis was confirmed through repeated laboratory testing, despite the unusually long incubation period.
- * This represents a significantly extended latency period for P. vivax malaria, far exceeding the usual two-year threshold.
Implications:
- * The findings suggest that P. vivax can remain dormant for much longer than previously thought.
- * Clinicians should consider prolonged malaria surveillance, particularly in immunocompromised patients with a history of travel to endemic regions.
- * Further research into the mechanisms of long-term P. vivax dormancy is warranted.