Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India
<p>Malaria was rampant in Sri Lanka two decades ago but we have since been declared free of malaria transmission by the WHO in 2016. However, neighboring India still has a high incidence of malaria, and visitors to India carry a high risk of contracting this disease. Despite the elimination o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8267 |
| _version_ | 1818468402010783744 |
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| author | ABNN Premarathna SAM Kularatne |
| author_facet | ABNN Premarathna SAM Kularatne |
| author_sort | ABNN Premarathna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Malaria was rampant in Sri Lanka two decades ago but we have since been declared free of malaria transmission by the WHO in 2016. However, neighboring India still has a high incidence of malaria, and visitors to India carry a high risk of contracting this disease. Despite the elimination of indigenous cases of malaria in Sri Lanka, a fair number of cases are detected from travelers coming from endemic regions of the globe. Delay in diagnosis occurs due to a lack of awareness among the medical community and a missed travel history as observed in this case scenario.</p><p>We report a 71-year-old previously healthy Sri Lankan male who developed a febrile illness after sixteen days of traveling in India on pilgrimage. He presented with a six day history of of illness and it took a further seven days to consider malaria as a possible diagnosis. Malaria antigen was positive on day thirteen of the illness with <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> trophozoites and gametocytes seen on the thick and thin films. He was treated with chloroquine and recovered slowly with clearing of parasitaemia. A correct diagnosis and close liaison with the anti-malaria campaign helped in the successful management of our patient.</p><p>This report is an eye opener to consider malaria as a diagnostic possibility and a clinical dilemma and to take a detailed travel history in patients presenting fever. Raising awareness of travelers about prevention against malaria and the need for malaria prophylaxis is also necessary.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:11:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e256f9f3bbc3465aab66511a2afebd45 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2012-8169 2448-9654 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:11:45Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-e256f9f3bbc3465aab66511a2afebd452022-12-22T02:29:48ZengSri Lankan Society for MicrobiologySri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases2012-81692448-96542020-04-01101808410.4038/sljid.v10i1.82675843Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in IndiaABNN Premarathna0SAM Kularatne1Faculty of Medicine,University of PeradeniyaFaculty of Medicine,University of Peradeniya<p>Malaria was rampant in Sri Lanka two decades ago but we have since been declared free of malaria transmission by the WHO in 2016. However, neighboring India still has a high incidence of malaria, and visitors to India carry a high risk of contracting this disease. Despite the elimination of indigenous cases of malaria in Sri Lanka, a fair number of cases are detected from travelers coming from endemic regions of the globe. Delay in diagnosis occurs due to a lack of awareness among the medical community and a missed travel history as observed in this case scenario.</p><p>We report a 71-year-old previously healthy Sri Lankan male who developed a febrile illness after sixteen days of traveling in India on pilgrimage. He presented with a six day history of of illness and it took a further seven days to consider malaria as a possible diagnosis. Malaria antigen was positive on day thirteen of the illness with <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> trophozoites and gametocytes seen on the thick and thin films. He was treated with chloroquine and recovered slowly with clearing of parasitaemia. A correct diagnosis and close liaison with the anti-malaria campaign helped in the successful management of our patient.</p><p>This report is an eye opener to consider malaria as a diagnostic possibility and a clinical dilemma and to take a detailed travel history in patients presenting fever. Raising awareness of travelers about prevention against malaria and the need for malaria prophylaxis is also necessary.</p>https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8267malaria, plasmodium vivax, travel |
| spellingShingle | ABNN Premarathna SAM Kularatne Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases malaria, plasmodium vivax, travel |
| title | Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India |
| title_full | Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India |
| title_fullStr | Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India |
| title_short | Delayed diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim in India |
| title_sort | delayed diagnosis of plasmodium vivax malaria in an elderly sri lankan pilgrim in india |
| topic | malaria, plasmodium vivax, travel |
| url | https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8267 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abnnpremarathna delayeddiagnosisofplasmodiumvivaxmalariainanelderlysrilankanpilgriminindia AT samkularatne delayeddiagnosisofplasmodiumvivaxmalariainanelderlysrilankanpilgriminindia |