Chandrashekar, UK (2011) A Study on Clinical Profile and Outcome in Falciparum Malaria. Calicut Medical Journal , 9 (3). e6.

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Abstract

Malaria remains the most important human parasitic infection globally and continues to pose a major public health threat in India, particularly due to Plasmodium falciparum which is prone to complications. The present study was aimed to evaluate the different modes of clinical presentation and systemic complications of falciparum malaria. A total of 50 patients of falciparum malaria were studied. The most prevalent symptoms were fever (100%), chills and rigors (94%), sweating (62%), headache (72%), vomiting (70%) and myalgia (62%). Atypical features included diarrhea (18%), pain abdomen (28%), cough (28%) and convulsions (2%). Anaemia (72%), jaundice (36%) and hepatosplenomegaly (62%) were the most common clinical signs. Malarial hepatitis (36%) was the most common complication and mortality (4%) was noted only among the patients who presented with cerebral malaria with or without other organ dysfunction. Falciparum malaria is a medical emergency and should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with fever, anaemia and splenomegaly and timely intervention may prevent the progression; hence reduce the mortality.

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