Abstract

Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in India. Plasmodium falciparum remains the main culprit although cases with vivax malaria are on the rise. Severe malaria as defined by the WHO criteria has high rate of complications and mortality. In our study we recruited microscopy positive falciparum and vivax malaria patients. Haematological and biochemical laboratory investigations were carried out in recruited patients. Both parameters were found to be significantly derailed in falciparum cases as compared to vivax. A direct correlation has been observed between kidney function tests (serum creatinine,serum urea) and direct bilirubin levels across all cases of malaria. Hence these parameters can be used to identify and monitor the progress of cases of severe malaria as significant proportion of patients fulfilled the criteria of severe malaria in the cohort.

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