Mixed Infection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium ovale in a Returned Traveller: the First Case in Korea.
- Author:
Gayeon KIM
1
;
Hyo Lim HONG
;
So Yeon KIM
;
Hye Ryun LEE
;
Dong Geun KIM
;
Seungman PARK
;
Hyoung Shik SHIN
;
Bum Sik CHIN
;
YeonJae KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: Mixed Infection; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium ovale
- MeSH: Adult; Cameroon; Coinfection*; Congo; Fever; Humans; Korea*; Liver; Malaria; Plasmodium falciparum*; Plasmodium ovale*; Plasmodium*; Polymerase Chain Reaction
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science 2019;34(3):e23-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Mixed-species malaria infections are often unrecognized or underestimated. We hereby report the first described case of mixed infection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium ovale malaria in a returned traveller in Korea. In August 2016, a 25-year-old returned traveller from Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo presented with fever. He was diagnosed as P. falciparum malaria and successfully treated with artesunate. And 5 weeks after the completion of treatment, he presented with fever and diagnosed as P. ovale infection. P. ovale infection is a rare cause of malaria and often shows delayed presentation due to its dormant liver stage as hypnozoites. At re-presentation, the immunochromatographic test and microscopic examinations of our patient did not reveal P. ovale, which was only detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. This case highlights the importance of considering malaria infection even in persons who have previously received malaria treatment. It also shows the usefulness of PCR testing for diagnosing P. ovale infections, which often present with a low level of parasitaemia.
