BRAIN MALARIA: PRESENTATION OF A CASE AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

ABSTRACT

Malaria is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, acquired through the bite of a female of the Anopheles mosquito genus. The initial symptoms of malaria are usually non-speci?c, presenting with fever, moderate to severe dehydration, tachycardia and tachypnea, with systolic blood pressure usually within normal ranges and in some cases with headache, nausea and vomiting. The clinical diagnosis can be con?rmed by the presence of malarial retinopathy or the presence of parasites in at least 20% of the capillaries in the histopathological study of the brain. The drugs of choice are those derived from artemisinin, artesunate and quinine. We present a case of severe malaria with brain involvement.