A CASE REPORT MISDIAGNOSIS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA AS HEMORRHAGIC FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME

Luhua Gao, Xuefan Bai and Qinghe Nie

Abstract

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by human Plasmodium spp, transmitted through bites of infected female Anopheline mosquitoes. Malaria remains one of the major health problems in tropical and sub-tropical countries and, although the number of new annual cases of malaria is decreasing, global warming threatens to spread malaria over a wider region of the world. In China and elsewhere, misdiagnosis of falciparum malaria can lead to mortality. Traditional diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, but current practice requires both clinical symptoms and detection of malaria parasites in blood using microscopy, rapid immunological diagnostic tests and/or PCR-based detection methods, which significantly improve specificity and accuracy of diagnosis. The case report describes an individual with imported falciparum malaria who presented negative blood smears for malaria parasites and an absence in the medical record of recent history of travel in malaria-endemic areas prior to admission to the Infectious Diseases Second Affiliated Hospital, Air-force Military Medical University, Xi’an, PR China. The patient unfortunately expired from multiple organ failure despite treatment with artemisinin. This case report highlights the need for a thorough record of travel through regions with life-threatening infectious diseases and implementation of more precise detection methods of infectious agents such as P. falciparum where delay in drug treatment can lead to fatal consequences.