CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA
The first symptoms of malaria, common to all the different malaria species, are nonspecific and mimic a flu-like syndrome. Although fever represents the cardinal feature, clinical findings in malaria are extremely diverse and may range in severity from mild headache to serious complications leading...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2012-05-01
|
| Series: | Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mjhid.org/index.php/mjhid/article/view/340 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846143859027869696 |
|---|---|
| author | Alessandro Bartoloni Lorenzo Zammarchi |
| author_facet | Alessandro Bartoloni Lorenzo Zammarchi |
| author_sort | Alessandro Bartoloni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The first symptoms of malaria, common to all the different malaria species, are nonspecific and mimic a flu-like syndrome. Although fever represents the cardinal feature, clinical findings in malaria are extremely diverse and may range in severity from mild headache to serious complications leading to death, particularly in falciparum malaria. As the progression to these complications can be rapid, any malaria patient must be assessed and treated rapidly, and frequent observations are needed to look for early signs of systemic complications.
In fact, severe malaria is a life threatening but treatable disease. The protean and nonspecific clinical findings occurring in malaria (fever, malaise, headache, myalgias, jaundice and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea) may lead physicians who see malaria infrequently to a wrong diagnosis, such as influenza (particularly during the seasonal epidemic flu), dengue, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, viral hepatitis, encephalitis. Physicians should be aware that malaria is not a clinical diagnosis but must be diagnosed, or excluded, by performing microscopic examination of blood films. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are then crucial to prevent morbidity and fatal outcomes. Although Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the major cause of severe malaria and death, increasing evidence has recently emerged that Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi can also be severe and even fatal. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4d77f56e16ac4ff0b851e7a3a49110e9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2035-3006 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-05-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d77f56e16ac4ff0b851e7a3a49110e92024-12-02T09:48:20ZengPAGEPress PublicationsMediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases2035-30062012-05-0141e2012026e201202610.4084/mjhid.2012.026232CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIAAlessandro Bartoloni0Lorenzo Zammarchi1Università di FirenzeInfectious Diseases Unit, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, ItalyThe first symptoms of malaria, common to all the different malaria species, are nonspecific and mimic a flu-like syndrome. Although fever represents the cardinal feature, clinical findings in malaria are extremely diverse and may range in severity from mild headache to serious complications leading to death, particularly in falciparum malaria. As the progression to these complications can be rapid, any malaria patient must be assessed and treated rapidly, and frequent observations are needed to look for early signs of systemic complications. In fact, severe malaria is a life threatening but treatable disease. The protean and nonspecific clinical findings occurring in malaria (fever, malaise, headache, myalgias, jaundice and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea) may lead physicians who see malaria infrequently to a wrong diagnosis, such as influenza (particularly during the seasonal epidemic flu), dengue, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, viral hepatitis, encephalitis. Physicians should be aware that malaria is not a clinical diagnosis but must be diagnosed, or excluded, by performing microscopic examination of blood films. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are then crucial to prevent morbidity and fatal outcomes. Although Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the major cause of severe malaria and death, increasing evidence has recently emerged that Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi can also be severe and even fatal.http://www.mjhid.org/index.php/mjhid/article/view/340Malaria, Splenomegaly, Anemia, Fever |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Bartoloni Lorenzo Zammarchi CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases Malaria, Splenomegaly, Anemia, Fever |
| title | CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA |
| title_full | CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA |
| title_fullStr | CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA |
| title_full_unstemmed | CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA |
| title_short | CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA |
| title_sort | clinical aspects of uncomplicated and severe malaria |
| topic | Malaria, Splenomegaly, Anemia, Fever |
| url | http://www.mjhid.org/index.php/mjhid/article/view/340 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessandrobartoloni clinicalaspectsofuncomplicatedandseveremalaria AT lorenzozammarchi clinicalaspectsofuncomplicatedandseveremalaria |