Case report: A case of primaquine-induced hemoglobinuria in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient malaria patient in southeastern Bangladesh

Abstract

We herein report the first case of Mediterranean glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) variant from Bangladesh. A boy had been admitted to hospital and was diagnosed with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax infection and treated with 30 mg/kg body weight (BW) chloroquine for 3 days and 4.8 mg/kg BW primaquine (PQ) to be taken over 14 days. The boy was discharged but represented 4 days later with severe hemoglobinuria and fatigue. Hemoglobin was measured at 6.0 g/dL and serum bilirubin was at 5.6 mg/dL, although malaria microscopy was negative. The boy had taken the 4-fold recommended daily dose of PQ and was treated with two fresh blood transfusions. Subsequent molecular analysis showed the boy to have the Mediterranean G6PD variant and a G6PD activity of 0.93 U/gHb.