Emerging new trends of malaria in children: A study from a tertiary care centre in northern India
<i>Background & objectives</i>: Vivax malaria has long been considered a benign entity. However, an increasing number of reports are highlighting that it may no longer be so. An investigation was carried out to study the profile of malarial admissions in a tertiary care pediatric hos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2014-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Vector Borne Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mrcindia.org/journal/issues/512115.pdf |
| Summary: | <i>Background & objectives</i>: Vivax malaria has long been considered a benign entity. However, an increasing number of reports are highlighting that it may no longer be so. An investigation was carried out to study the profile of malarial admissions in a tertiary care pediatric hospital and to analyse the burden of vivax-related complications.
<i>Methods:</i> It is a retrospective observational study. The medical case records of all the patients admitted in the year 2011 with the clinical diagnosis of malaria and laboratory evidence in the form of positive peripheral smear and/or rapid malarial antigen test were retrieved and retrospectively analysed.
<i>Results:</i> Overall, 198 cases were included, 128 (64.6%) were due to <i>Plasmodium vivax</i>, 66 (33.3%) due to <i>P. falciparum</i> and 4 (2%) had evidence of mixed infection of <i>Pv</i> + <i>Pf</i>. The clinical features on admission were similar in all the groups. In total, 64/128 (50%) patients with vivax infection had one or more complications with severe anemia in 33 (26%) and cerebral malaria in 16 (12.5%). Six deaths were reported in <i>P. vivax</i> cases. In the falciparum group, 52 (78.8%) had one or more complications with severe anemia in 37 (56.1%) and cerebral malaria in 24 (36.4%). Four deaths were reported in <i>P. falciparum</i> cases.
<i>Interpretation & conclusion:</i> Overall because of their larger numbers, vivax patients outnumbered other groups, with regards to severe complications and deaths. It was concluded that vivax malaria is emerging as an important cause of malaria-related complications in children. |
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| ISSN: | 0972-9062 0972-9062 |