A Rare Case Report of Fatal Fulminant Hepatic Failure in a Child due to Mixed vivax and falciparum Infection

Abstract

Malaria remains an overwhelming problem in the tropical developing countries, with 300 to 500 million new cases and about a million deaths per year (Mishra et al., 2003). Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease in the tropics. Jaundice is one of the severe manifestations of falciparum malaria. Its incidence (Mishra et al., 2003). varies between 10 and 45% in different reports and is seen more in adults than in children. Jaundice may vary from mild to very severe. However, clinical signs of hepatic encephalopathy (such as liver flaps) are never seen unless there is presence of concomitant viral hepatitis (WHO, 2000). Our case is a 6-year-old female child presented with fever, jaundice, and anasarca. Peripheral smear showed trophozoites and schizonts of Plasmodium ( P. ) vivax and trophozoites and gametocytes of P. falciparum. Viral markers for hepatitis were negative. She developed fulminant hepatic failure and expired after 26 hours of admission.