Case study of misdiagnosis of malaria in primary care set-up leading to rapid complications and death in a high malaria endemic district of India

• Published in: Journal of vector borne diseases Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 378 - 380
• Main Authors: Singh, Raj, Kumar, Gaurav, Karlekar, Rajesh, Majhi, Jitendra, Singh, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer - Medknow Publications 01.10.2020; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Anemia; Case studies; Complications and side effects; Diagnosis; Diagnostic Errors; Endemic Diseases; Fever; Humans; India - epidemiology; Infections; Malaria; Malaria - diagnosis; Malaria - epidemiology; Malaria, Falciparum - epidemiology; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Microscopy; Parasites; Population; Primary Health Care; India
• DOI: 10.4103/0972-9062.313962
• ISSN: 0972-9062

[...]fever cases mixed and contradictory results i.e. negative blood slide with sequential RDT positive results should be evaluated meticulously on a case to case basis with proper history. [...]these likely persistent background conditions might have contributed to rapid deterioration and complications leading to death. Currently, microscopy is the gold standard for malaria diagnosis which is an effective and inexpensive method7, However, its sensitivity is poor in case of low parasitemia or if carried out by inexperienced personnel especially in PHC setting. [...]with the availability of newer advanced technologies for malaria diagnosis we should exercise our option to adopt these technologies and aid in malaria diagnosis in endemic areas8. [...]it is high time that the use of such techniques should be enhanced in highly malaria endemic regions of the country so that malaria cases are not missed and are subjected to proper timely treatment.