Poor correlation between density of malaria parasitaemia and clinical symptoms in the Solomon Islands
Lucas, R.E.
Medical Journal of Australia 162(7): 389
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 7715530 Document Number: 453791
In the semi-immune Solomon Islanders it is found that the density of malaria parasitaemia has a poor correlation with the severity of clinical symptoms. Because of this it is strongly recommended that unexplained fever in any patient exposed to malaria within the past 12 months should be regarded as malaria despite an initial negative blood film result. At the same time it should be remembered that a positive blood film for malaria does not necessarily mean that malaria is the cause of fever in partially immune subjects. Professor Rieckmann, in agreement with these observations, states that collection of blood films for malaria parasites should be continued after initiating treatment because this will often reveal parasites.