Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: July-September | Volume: 4 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 79-89
Clinico-Hematological Profile of Malaria Cases in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Sujata S. Kumbhar1, Sujata R. Kanetkar2, Avinash Mane3, Garima Agarwal4, Sucheta Bansal4
1Associate Professor, 2Professor and head, 3Assistant Professor, 4Tutor,
Department of Pathology, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Deemed to be University, Karad 411510, Maharashtra, India.
ABSTRACT
Background: Malaria is a major public health problem in most countries of the tropics and sub tropics. Malarial parasitemia causes wide-ranging hematological alterations and may lead to life threatening complications if not diagnosed and treated in time. Alterations in the hematological parameters are also thought to have the capacity to act as an adjuvant tool in strengthening the suspicion of malaria, thereby prompting a more meticulous search for malaria parasites. Therefore the aim of the present study was to assess malaria parasitemia and its association with clinicohematological parameters.
Methods: The present study was observational and analytical and of two years. 59 diagnosed cases of malaria on peripheral blood smear were included in the study and clinical presentation and hematological parameters were studied in them.
Observations: 58 (98.3%) were infected with Plasmodium vivax (PV) and only one case was of Plasmodium falciparum (PF). 52 (88.14%) had a parasite index (PI) of <2%. 76.3% of cases were presented with fever with chills and rigors.
49 (83%) had thrombocytopenia and 36 (61.0%) cases had anemia. Leucocytosis was observed only in 8 (13.5%) cases and leucopenia in 10 (17%) cases. Elevated ESR was observed in 78% of malaria cases.
Conclusion: Plasmodium vivax was predominant species in our region. As majority of the cases had fever and thrombocytopenia, in every case of fever with thrombocytopenia malaria should be considered in differential diagnosis in malaria endemic regions.
Hematological investigations are helpful in detecting early complications, to monitor and treat them effectively.
Key words: Malaria, vivax, falciparum, fever, thrombocytopenia, anemia