HMS-related hemolysis after acute attacks of Plasmodium vivax malaria.

Abstract

Among a cohort of 1,213 cases treated for Plasmodium vivax malaria from an isolated Papua New Guinean population, seven adults with severe and sustained hemolytic anemia after clearance of the peripheral parasitemia were prospectively investigated. All the patients fulfilled the criteria for hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly and in 2 of 7 cases an IgG warm antibody was identified. Hereditary hemolytic anemia was excluded in 5 of 5 patients. All treated cases improved after an initial high dose of prednisone and antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. The persistence of marked anemia in a patient with splenomegaly after a P. vivax attack should raise the suspicion of hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly.

• Authors: Oriol Mitjà, Russell Hays, James Malken, Anthony Ipai, Samson Kangapu, Jenny Robson, Quique Bassat
• Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 85 Issue 4 Pg. 616-8 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1476-1645 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21976560 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Hemolysis
• Humans
• Malaria, Vivax (pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Splenomegaly (pathology)