Clinical and laboratory findings of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Colombia, 2001

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2003 Jan-Feb;45(1):29-34. doi: 10.1590/s0036-46652003000100006. Epub 2003 Apr 3.

Abstract

A descriptive study was carried out in 104 patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria, from the region of Turbo (Antioquia, Colombia). Clinical features and levels of hemoglobin, glycemia, serum bilirubin, alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), creatinine and complete blood cell profile were established. 65% of the studied individuals were men and their mean age was 23. Of all individuals 59% had lived in the region for > 1 year and 91% were resident in the rural area. 42% were farmers and 35% had a history of malaria. The mean parasitaemia was 5865 parasites/mm3. The evolution of the disease was short (average of 4.0 days). Fever, headache and chills were observed simultaneously in 91% of the cases while the most frequent signs were palmar pallor (46%), jaundice (15%), hepatomegaly (17%), and spleen enlargement (12%). Anemia was found in 39% of the women and in 51% of the men, 8% of individuals had thrombocytopaenia and 41% had hypoglycemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Bilirubin / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Colombia
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Malaria, Vivax / blood*
  • Malaria, Vivax / complications
  • Malaria, Vivax / enzymology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sex Distribution

Substances

  • Creatinine
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Bilirubin