Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jul 16, 2024; 12(20): 4419-4426
Published online Jul 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i20.4419
Treatment of a patient with severe cerebral malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: A case report
Yan-Fang Zhu, Wen-Jing Xia, Wei Liu, Ju-Min Xie
Yan-Fang Zhu, Wei Liu, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Huangshi Hospital of TCM (Infectious Disease Hospital), Huangshi 435000, Hubei Province, China
Wen-Jing Xia, Ju-Min Xie, Hubei Key Laboratory of Renal Disease Occurrence and Intervention, Medical School, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi 435003, Hubei Province, China
Co-first authors: Yan-Fang Zhu and Wen-Jing Xia.
Co-corresponding authors: Wei Liu and Ju-Min Xie.
Author contributions: Zhu YF and Xie JM conceived the study, supervised the study; Zhu YF and Liu W provided the data source; Zhu YF, Xia WJ, Liu W and Xie JM analyzed the data and drew the figure; Xia WJ and Xie JM wrote the manuscript; Xie JM revised the manuscript. All authors read and agreed to publish the paper.
Supported by Local Special Projects in Major Health of Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Department, No. 2022BCE054; and Key Scientific Research Projects of Hubei Polytechnic University, No. 23xjz08A; and Hubei polytechnic University Huangshi Daye Lake high-tech Zone University Science Park joint open fund project, No. 23xjz04AK.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ju-Min Xie, PhD, Associate Professor, Research Scientist, Senior Scientist, Teacher, Hubei Key Laboratory of Renal Disease Occurrence and Intervention, Medical School, Hubei Polytechnic University, No. 16 Guilin North Road, Huangshi 435003, Hubei Province, China. xiejumin@hbpu.edu.cn
Received: April 5, 2024
Revised: May 8, 2024
Accepted: May 20, 2024
Published online: July 16, 2024
Processing time: 85 Days and 23.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

On June 30, 2021, China received certification from the World Health Organization for malaria elimination. However, this certification does not signify the absence of malaria within China. Due to the increasing frequency of international exchanges and collaborations, the threat of imported malaria persists in China. Consequently, the prevention and control of imported malaria have become a primary focus for our country to maintain its malaria elimination status.

CASE SUMMARY

Herein, we present a case report of a 53-year-old Chinese man who worked in Africa for nearly two years. He was diagnosed with malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between November 19 and November 23, 2022. After receiving effective treatment with oral antimalarial drugs, his condition improved, allowing him to return to China. He was later admitted to our hospital on January 12, 2023, during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Huangshi, China. Through a thorough evaluation of the patient's symptoms, clinical signs, imaging and laboratory test results, and epidemiological data, he was rapidly diagnosed with severe cerebral malaria. The patient underwent successful treatment through a series of intensive care unit interventions.

CONCLUSION

The successful treatment of this imported case of severe cerebral malaria provides a valuable reference for managing patients with similar malaria infections and has significant clinical implications.

Keywords: Pernicious malaria, Severe cerebral malaria, Imported patients, Traditional Chinese medicine, Angong niuhuang Pill, Case report

Core Tip: China has achieved significant milestones in malaria prevention and control, earning recognition as a malaria-free nation by the World Health Organization. However, to safeguard against malaria resurgence and uphold this malaria-free status, China must prioritize the following malaria prevention and control efforts: (1) Surveillance and monitoring: Enhance the surveillance system for malaria cases, particularly in border regions and areas with high international mobility; (2) border area prevention and control: Strengthen collaboration and information exchange with neighboring countries, to prevent cross-border malaria transmission; (3) public education and awareness; (4) supporting malaria research; (5) international collaboration; and (6) climate change response. By implementing these measures, China can effectively prevent malaria resurgence and sustain its malaria elimination status.