ABSTRACT

In this study, the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic features of forty adult malaria patients referred our clinic between February 1996‐September 2009, were assessed retrospectively. Diagnosis was established by Giemsa‐stained thick and/or thin blood smears in all cases. Thirty‐four patients were male and 6 patients were female and mean age was 31.1 years. All patients had a history of travel to endemic areas (24 cases to Africa, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Arabian Peninsula, 16 cases to Southestern Anatolia Region), and none of them had chemoprophylaxis. Plasmodium vivax was detected in 20 patients, and P.falciparum in 18 and mixed (P. vivax and P. falciparum) in two. Parasitemia ranged from 0.5%‐ 25%. Fever (100%), periodic fever (62.5%), splenomegaly (72.5%), hepatomegaly (45.0%), anemia (67.5%), leukopenia (32.5%), thrombocytopenia (75.0%), a rise in erytrocyte sedimentation rate (65.0%), abnormalities in hepatic enzymes (62.5%), hyponatremia (32.5%), hypoglisemia (25%) and an elevated serum creatinine level (27.5%) were determined in the patients. Two patients with P. falciparum developed acute renal failure and cerebral involvement died soon after admission. Acute renal failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cerebral involvement and dissemine intravasculer coagulation were observed in one patient with falciparum malaria who recovered completely. In conclusion, every febril patients with a history of travel to the endemic regions should raise the suspicion of malaria. Effective pre‐exposure chemoprophylaxis and personal protection measures should be provided to travellers visiting endemic regions.

Keywords: Malaria, P. vivax, P. falciparum, chemoprophylaxis