A case series of splenic infarction during acute malaria in northwest Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Malaria is a rare cause of splenic infarction. Only a few cases have been reported worldwide, mostly associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection. Here we report a series of four acute malaria patients with splenic infarction, two with P. vivax infection, one with P. falciparum and one with a mixed infection (P. vivax and P. falciparum). This small case series suggests that if a patient with malaria is complaining of left upper quadrant abdominal pain, pleuritic left lower chest pain and/or enlarging tender splenomegaly during treatment, splenic infarct should be suspected and managed accordingly to avoid further life-threatening complications.

Spleen Rupture in a Case of Untreated Plasmodium vivax Infection

“…Left-upper-quadrant abdominal pain in a patient with malaria should prompt the physician to consider the diagnosis of splenic infarction or spleen rupture [6], [7]. The real incidence of splenic complications is unknown as there is substantial underreporting of mild, asymptomatic, and nonsevere cases, but some reports point that it can be as high as 8.8% among patients with abdominal pain [8].…”

Effects of Malaria in Pregnancy (MiP) on Pregnancy Development and its Outcome: a Critical Review

“…Report from several researchers indicates that splenic disturbances occur during acute malarial infection [43,44]. A patient suffering from pain in the left-upper-quadrant of the abdomen was observed to have been infected with malaria which resulted in splenic rupture and infarction with a gross macroscopic investigation revealing evidence of splenomegaly [43].…”

A Splenic Infarct Developing After Plasmodium falciparum Infection

“…Bu komplikasyonlar kimi zaman hayatı tehdit edici boyutlara ulaşabilir (5). Splenik infarkt splenik rüptürden daha nadir karşılaşılan bir komplikasyondur (6).…”

“…Bizim olgumuza da cerrahi girişimde bulunulmadığı için patolojik değerlendirme yapılamadı. P. falciparum sıtmasında gelişen splenik infarktın oluş mekanizmasında bu parazitin diğer türlere göre çok yüksek değerlerde parazitemiye yol açması ve parazitle enfekte eritrositlerin mikrovasküler sekestrasyonuna bağlı olabileceği düşünülmektedir (6).…”