Two Cases Of Severe “Traveler’s Falciparum Malaria “ With
Improved Conditions After Administration Of Quinine Oral
Umar Zein
Division of Tropical Diseases and Infections
Department of Internal Medicine,
School of Medicine, Sumatera Utara University
Abstract :
Traveler’s Malaria is a new emerging health problem in the whole world due to (1)
the increasing mobility of international traveler and (2) The recurrent of the disease
in the areas those once partially or fully freed from the disease.
We are reporting 2 cases of severe ‘traveler’s malaria’ found attacked a man from
Greece and a man from Philippine with the age of 54. Both of the patients are ship
captains. On the first case found acute kidney failure with anuria and lung oedema,
pneumonia and a progressive declining of haemoglobine concentration. With the
second cases we found declining of consciousness, disorder of liver function with
icterus, disorder of kidney function, bleeding of upper digestive tract, pneumonia
and severe anemia, signs of DIC (Disseminated Intra-vascular Coagulation) and
admission in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Both of cases are assumed having
resistance to Chloroquine and Fansidar. Both of them were treated with Quinine
Sulphate by mouth (we hardly can find Quinine injection in Medan). With such
treatment for a seven day duration we saw a significant clinical and laboratory
improvement. The evidence were the disappearance of asexual parasite from
peripheral blood. During the hospitalization both of the patien required PRC
(blood) transfusion to overcome the tendency of progressive declining of
haemoglobine. With the disappearance of parasite from blood, the disorder of the
suffered organs mentioned above, gradually become normal. The condition of the
patients showed a satisfactory improvement either.
Keywords : Severe – Traveler’s Malaria – Complication – Quinine
Sulphate
(Acta Medica Indonesiana, Volume XXXIV, Number 3, July – September 2002)
INTRODUCTION :
The disease of malaria still creates problem both in developing and developed
countries. This phenomenon is signed by still increasing number of incidence of
the disease in recent time. The verdicts are assumed as
1
:
1. The increasing of malaria parasite resistance to the available
chemotherapheutical medicines.
2. The increasing of Anopheles mosquito resistance to the currently used
insecticides.
3. The significant change of climate and echo-system
4. The increasing number of international travelers
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