Cerebral falciparum malaria mimicking thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
We have described a patient with cerebral falciparum malaria who had rapidly progressive CNS deterioration, renal failure, hemolytic anemia associated with striking and varied erythrocyte morphologic changes, and thrombocytopenia. The initial diagnosis was thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) of unknown origin. Reexamination of the peripheral smear of this comatose patient led to correct diagnosis and effective treatment in this case of cerebral falciparum malaria--another of medicine's great mimickers.
Chinowsky
M S
MS
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Harbor City, Calif. 90710.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000175:diagnosis*