Malaysian child infected with Plasmodium vivax via blood transfusion: a case report

Malar J. 2013 Sep 4:12:308. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-308.

Abstract

Malaria may be a serious complication of blood transfusion due to the asymptomatic persistence of parasites in some donors. This case report highlights the transfusion-transmitted malaria of Plasmodium vivax in a child diagnosed with germ cell tumour. This child had received blood transfusion from three donors and a week later started developing malaria like symptoms. Nested PCR and sequencing confirmed that one of the three donors was infected with P. vivax and this was transmitted to the 12-year-old child. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported transfusion-transmitted malaria case in Malaysia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Vivax / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Vivax / pathology
  • Malaysia
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / complications
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / therapy
  • Plasmodium vivax / genetics
  • Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transfusion Reaction*

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan