title: Falciparum malaria or fulminant hepatic failure?
abstract: Six cases of severe jaundice and encephalopathy due to falciparum hepatitis initially diagnosed as fulminant hepatic failure are reported. This rare presentation of falciparum malaria should be suspected in patients with persistent fever, jaundice, encephalopathy and hepatomegaly. The diagnosis should be further suspected when the liver function tests show a predominantly conjugated hyperbilirubinemia with only modest elevation of liver enzymes and alkaline phosphatase. Liver biopsy is valuable in establishing the diagnosis at all stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rab
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shekhani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged