32(03) 229-233 
| A Case of Imported Plasmodium malariae Malaria |
|
| Yun Ji Hong, M.D.1, Sun Young Yang, M.T.2, Kyunghoon Lee, M.D.1, Taek Soo Kim, M.D.1, Hong Bin Kim, M.D.3, Kyoung Un Park, M.D.1,2, Junghan Song, M.D.1,2, and Eui Chong Kim, M.D.1 | | Department of Laboratory Medicine1, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul; Departments of Laboratory Medicine2 and Internal Medicine3, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea | |
| Malaria, the most common vector-borne parasite infection worldwide, results from infection
by Plasmodium species. Approximately 80% of malaria cases are caused by P. vivax,
which is broadly distributed from tropical to temperate regions; P. falciparum is the second
most common infectious species. P. malariae and P. ovale are responsible for a relatively
small proportion of malaria cases. Here, we report the case of a 23-yr-old Korean woman
who acquired a P. malariae infection while visiting the Republic of Ghana in West Africa
for business. She was diagnosed with P. malariae malaria on the basis of peripheral blood
smear (PBS) and species-specific conventional and real-time PCR assays for 18S rRNA.
She was treated with hydroxychloroquine, and the resulting PBS examination on day 2
suggested that negative conversion occurred. At her 1-month follow-up, however, both the
PBS examination and molecular test for malaria demonstrated recurrent parasitemia. We
started rescue therapy with mefloquine, and the patient recovered successfully. This is an
important finding suggesting possible late recrudescence of a chloroquine-resistant P. malariae
strain identified not only by its morphological features, but also by molecular tests. |
|
|
2012 May; 32(03) 229-233 |
|
| DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2012.32.3.229 |
|
| Keyword : Plasmodium malariae, Malaria, 18S rRNA real-time PCR, 18S rRNA conventional PCR, Late recrudescence, Chloroquine resistance |
|
|
