Rare case of Plasmodium Vivax causing malarial splenic infarction atLUH, Jamshoro

Authors

Abstract

Malaria is a common parasitic infection in tropical countries. It has many serious complications like anemia, acute kidney injury, cerebral malaria, acute respiratory distress syndrome. Splenic infarction due to malaria is a rare complication. Up to 40 cases has been reported from 1960 to 2012. Plasmodium Vivax remains the common species. We report a case of a patient with Plasmodium Vivax infection who developed abdominal pain after 2 days of high-grade fever. Ultrasound abdomen revealed mild splenomegaly with multiple hypoechoic areas suggestive of splenic infarcts, which were further confirmed by abdominal CT scan. Patient responded to antimalarial and analgesics and was discharged from the hospital, when stable. This rare case is reported here as a learning opportunity for all physicians and general practitioners to keep this complication in mind should a similar case arise in the future.

Keywords:

Plasmodium Vivax, malaria, splenic infarction

Published

2024/12/09