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Severe malaria in an unstable setting: clinical and laboratory correlates of cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia and a paradigm for a simplified severity scoring

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Abstract

An interpretation of historical, clinical, and laboratory data was made to identify the correlates of and the diversity between cerebral malaria (CM) and severe malarial anemia (SMA) in a setting of low, seasonal, and unstable malaria transmission in eastern Sudan. Hemoglobin (Hb), random blood glucose (RBG), and anti-MSP antibodies were measured. Results showed that SMA and CM were significantly different with regard to age, malaria history, fever duration, convulsions, and hepatosplenomegaly. The MSP Ab response was inversely correlated with the number of previous malaria episodes but not with fever duration in the current attack. The spleen size was significantly inversely correlated with Hb level while hepatomegaly was significantly associated with low RBG. Furthermore, two malaria patients presented with neuropsychiatric upset. Finally, the correlates of SMA and CM fit perfectly with an adopted severity numeric scoring.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Malaria Research Centre (MalRC) - Department of Biochemistry, and Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, P. O. Box 102, Khartoum, Sudan

    H. A. Giha, G. Elghazali, T. M. E. A-Elgadir, I. E. A-Elbasit & M. I. Elbashir

  2. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University (AGU), P. O. Box 26671, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

    H. A. Giha

  3. King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    G. Elghazali

Authors
  1. H. A. Giha
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  2. G. Elghazali
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  3. T. M. E. A-Elgadir
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  4. I. E. A-Elbasit
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  5. M. I. Elbashir
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. A. Giha.

Additional information

Hayder A. Giha and Gehad Elghazali contributed equally to this paper.

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Giha, H.A., Elghazali, G., A-Elgadir, T.M.E. et al. Severe malaria in an unstable setting: clinical and laboratory correlates of cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia and a paradigm for a simplified severity scoring. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 28, 661–665 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0665-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0665-5

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