Malaria complicating open-heart surgery.

Two cases of malaria developing immediately after open-heart surgery are reported to illustrate that malaria is one of the rarer causes of postoperative pyrexia. The diagnosis can easily be missed, resulting in unnecessary morbidity and even mortality. It is important for cardiac surgeons to be aware of this possibility in malaria-free as well as malaria-endemic areas as patients or blood donors who come from or have recently visited an endemic area are potential victims or sources of the infection.