title: [Case report: two imported Plasmodium falciparum cases].
abstract: A 23 year-old Pakistani man presented at the emergency clinic of Tepecik Research and Training Hospital with the symptoms such as fever (39.3 degrees C), blurred consciousness, subicteric sclera and splenomegalia. In the laboratory examination, a slightly increase of the liver enzymes and anemia were detected. The gametocytes and trophozoites of Plasmodium falciparum were seen in a bone marrow aspiration and treatment was started with quinine and doxycycline but since resistance was detected to these medicines, mefloquine was chosen as alternative therapy. He was cured and discharged. The second case was also a Pakistani 20-year old man and he was a friend of first case. He presented at our hospital with the symptoms such as fever (39.4 degrees C), closed consciousness, icteric sclera and systolic soufflé in all cardiac foci. During the laboratory examination, severe anemia and trombocytopenia, and an increase in the liver enzymes were found. P. falciparum gametocytes and young trophozoites were seen in a blood smear stained with Giemsa. For treatment, mefloquine was used but unfortunately the patient died due to an adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complication. In this study, two cases with different clinical manifestations were presented to emphasize the importance of timing in starting the correct treatment.
authors.affiliation: Tepecik Eğitim ve Araştirma Hastanesi, Klinik Mikrobiyoloji ve Enfeksiyon Hastaliklari, Izmir, Turkey. sukrankose@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sükran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köse
authors.forename: Cenk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirakli
authors.forename: Seray
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozensoy Töz
authors.forename: Lütfiye
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuzucu
authors.forename: Gülgün
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akkoçlu
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cevikel
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004351:Drug Resistance; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011803:Quinine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D011803:Quinine; D004318:Doxycycline; D015767:Mefloquine