[A plasmodium alciparum malaria case originated from Mozambique: clues for the diagnosis and therapy].

The aim of this report was the presentation of a falciparum malaria case originated from Mozambique and the evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Sixty years old Canadian male patient who has been working in Mozambique for 13 years was admitted to hospital with the complaints of high fever (39.6 degrees C), weakness, nausea and vomiting, when returned to Turkey. The patient was sleepiness and has undulating confusions with the laboratory findings of thrombocytopenia, hypoglycemia, hyperlactatemia, increased BUN/creatinine levels, increased LDH levels and hypocholesterolemia. The diagnosis was based on the detection of multiple ring formed trophozoites in the thick blood film and the presence of multiple ring forms inside the erythrocytes and the absence of trophozoite and shizont forms in the thin blood film. His medical history revealed that he experienced another falciparum malaria infection one year ago, although he has been using mefloquine prophylaxis during his stay in Mozambique. Since chloroquine resistance was thought to be high in this region, the patient was treated with quinine sulphate and doxycycline. Six days after the onset of therapy, the biochemical markers turned to normal and 14 days later the blood films were free of the parasite. The patient was given doxycycline prophylaxis since he would return to Mozambique. In conclusion, the followings should be taken into consideration for the diagnosis and therapy: (i) cyclic type of fever which is characteristic for malaria, might not be detected in falciparum malaria; (ii) some of the clinical symptoms might be blocked by partial immune response in case of recurrent infections; (iii) thrombocytopenia and hypocholesterolemia might indicate the presence of falciparum malaria; and when falciparum malaria is confirmed by parasitological examinations the patient should be treated as if he/she is accepted as resistant to chloroquine.