Clinico-pathological studies of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax - malaria in India and Saudi Arabia

Acta Parasitol. 2014 Jun;59(2):206-12. doi: 10.2478/s11686-014-0227-1. Epub 2014 May 15.

Abstract

Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases of tropical countries with clinical manifestations such as anaemia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, hepatomegaly and acute renal failures. In this study, cases of thrombocytopenia and haemoglobinemia were more prominent in subjects infected with Plasmodium falciparum (Welch, 1897) than those with Plasmodium vivax (Grassi et Feletti, 1890). However, anaemia, jaundice, convulsions and acute renal failure were significantly high (3-4 times) in subjects infected with P. falciparum than those infected with P. vivax. The incidence of splenomegaly and neurological sequelae were 2 and 6 times higher in P. falciparum infections compared to the infections of P. vivax. Both in P. vivax and P. falciparum malaria, the cases of splenomegaly, jaundice and neurological sequelae were almost double in children (<10 years) compared to older patients. The liver enzymes were generally in normal range in cases of low and mild infections. However, the AST, ALT, ALP activities and serum bilirubin, creatinine, and the urea content were increased in P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria patients having high parasitaemia, confirming liver dysfunction and renal failures in few cases of severe malaria both in India and Saudi Arabia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anemia / epidemiology
  • Anemia / parasitology
  • Anemia / pathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • India
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Kidney Diseases / epidemiology
  • Kidney Diseases / parasitology
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Liver Diseases / epidemiology
  • Liver Diseases / parasitology
  • Liver Diseases / pathology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / complications
  • Malaria, Falciparum / epidemiology*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / pathology*
  • Malaria, Vivax / complications
  • Malaria, Vivax / epidemiology*
  • Malaria, Vivax / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nervous System Diseases / epidemiology
  • Nervous System Diseases / parasitology
  • Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification*
  • Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification*
  • Prevalence
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Thrombocytopenia / epidemiology
  • Thrombocytopenia / parasitology
  • Thrombocytopenia / pathology
  • Young Adult