Seong Yeon Park1, Yoon Soo Park2, Yoonseon Park3, Yee Gyung Kwak4, Je Eun Song5, Kkot Sil Lee6, Shin-Hyeong Cho7, Sang-Eun Lee8, Hyun-Il Shin9, Joon-Sup Yeom10. 1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, 27, Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: psy99ch@hanmail.net. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, 100 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yspark@nhimc.or.kr. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, 100 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yoonseony@gmail.com. 4. Division of Infectious Diseases, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juhwa-ro, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: philmed202@hanmail.net. 5. Division of Infectious Diseases, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juhwa-ro, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: girasol531@naver.com. 6. Division of Infectious Diseases, Myongji Hospital, 697-24 Hwajung-dong, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: meflorid@empal.com. 7. Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 187, Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: cho4u@cdc.go.kr. 8. Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 187, Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ondalgl@korea.kr. 9. Division of Vectors and Parasitic Disease, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 187, Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hishin@korea.kr. 10. Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: joonsup.yeom@yuhs.ac.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There has been a marked increase in the reporting of confirmed vivax malaria cases in certain geographical areas. This study investigated cases of severe vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adult patients diagnosed with vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during the period 2000 to 2016. Diagnosis was made using the World Health Organization criteria, with the exception of parasite density. RESULTS: Among 1366 malaria cases, 255 (18.7%) were classified as severe vivax malaria, and 46 (3.4%) required intensive care. None of patients died of malaria. Patients with severe vivax malaria were older and had more comorbidity. The enrollment periods were classified into three groups, 2000 to 2005 (506 cases), 2006 to 2010 (696 cases), and 2011 to 2016 (304 cases). Malaria cases decreased from 2011 to 2016, but severe malaria cases increased significantly over time (14.3%, 20.1%, and 22.8%, p = 0.003). Common severe manifestations were shock (45.6%) and jaundice (43.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Cases of severe malaria increased, and shock and jaundice were the predominant findings of severe vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea.
BACKGROUND: There has been a marked increase in the reporting of confirmed vivax malaria cases in certain geographical areas. This study investigated cases of severe vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adult patients diagnosed with vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during the period 2000 to 2016. Diagnosis was made using the World Health Organization criteria, with the exception of parasite density. RESULTS: Among 1366 malaria cases, 255 (18.7%) were classified as severe vivax malaria, and 46 (3.4%) required intensive care. None of patients died of malaria. Patients with severe vivax malaria were older and had more comorbidity. The enrollment periods were classified into three groups, 2000 to 2005 (506 cases), 2006 to 2010 (696 cases), and 2011 to 2016 (304 cases). Malaria cases decreased from 2011 to 2016, but severe malaria cases increased significantly over time (14.3%, 20.1%, and 22.8%, p = 0.003). Common severe manifestations were shock (45.6%) and jaundice (43.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Cases of severe malaria increased, and shock and jaundice were the predominant findings of severe vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea.