Quando la malaria tarda a farsi riconoscere: un’infezione da Plasmodium ovale

Abstract

Plasmodium ovale is a cause of non-falciparum malaria infection that is endemic in tropical Western Africa. The life cycle of Plasmodium ovale includes hypnozoites, which are dormant stages in the liver. These stages can be reactivated after weeks, months, or years from the initial infection, causing disease relapse. This paper reports the case of a female adolescent who presented with high fever and abdominal pain. The girl was referring to a single travel to Nigeria 4 years ago. On that occasion she showed short-term gastrointestinal symptoms, without fever. The blood test revealed thrombocytopenia (76,000/µl) and she was unexpectedly diagnosed with ma-laria through blood smear. Considering the geographical area of her previous travel, a parasitemia by Plasmodium ovale was suspected. The diagnosis was soon confirmed by the positivity of the PCR. The literature describes some cases of recrudescence of the infection from the first episode. The diagnosis of Plasmodium ovale malaria can be challenging because of its possible delayed presentation.