A case of cerebral malaria due to Plasmodium vivax

---

Mona Abd EL-fattah Ahmed Nahla Ahmad Bahgat Abdulateef and Ibraheim Elsodany

1Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Egypt 2 Laboratory Department, King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia 3Clinical Pathology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt 4Intensive Care Unit, King Abdullah Medical Ci

: J Immunol Tech Infect Dis

Abstract

---

Introduction: Cerebral malaria is a diffuse encephalopathy presenting with neurological symptoms including unarousable coma of more than 30 minutes duration associated with or without seizures. It can occur in up to one-third of patients with severe malaria particularly that caused by Plasmodium falciparum, but rarely it could be occurring during the course of P. vivax. We report a distinctive case of cerebral malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax Material and Methods: This is a case report study carried out in Nov. 2011 at King Abdullah Medical City, KSA; a Tertiary care hospital. We studied the clinical profile, laboratory and laboratory investigations, treatment and outcome. Results: The patient was an adult Indian female pilgrim, 29 years old. The clinical features noted were attacks of convulsions, extensive vacuities, septic shock, anemia, pneumonia and renal dysfunction. The species diagnosis was made on thin blood smears demonstrated P. vivax and confirmed by antigen and antibody detection techniques. P. falciparum was excluded by all methods. Conclusion: Rarely, cerebral malaria is a presenting complication or occurs during the course of P. vivax infection. This case demonstrates that sole Plasmodium vivax can induce severe cerebral injury. The unique epidemiology of malaria in India, where P. vivax predominates over Plasmodium falciparum may be related to atypical presentation

Biography

---

Mona Abd EL-fattah Ahmed has completed her MD at the age of 33 years from Ain Shams University. She is Associate Consultant and head of Clinical Parasitology Section, and Laboratory Training and Education Coordinator at the Laboratory Department, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, KSA, since June 2010 till present. She is also Associate professor of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University from February 2009 till present. She has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals and serving as a reviewer of reputed journals.

E mail: Mahmoud.m@kamc.med.sa