Discriminating Clinical and Biological Features in Malaria and Dengue Patients.

Background: Malaria and dengue are the most widespread infectious diseases of tropical countries with an estimated 219 and 50 million cases globally. The aim of the proposed study was to find out discriminating clinical features of falciparum malaria and dengue.

Method: Falciparum malaria was diagnosed by looking at the ring and gametocyte stages by microscopic examination in Giemsa stained slides. Dengue was diagnosed by ELISA for dengue-specific IgM and IgG. Liver enzymes (AST and ALT) and kidney markers (creatinine and urea) were estimated by standard biochemical techniques.

Result: AST and ALT showed similar rise in both, severe malaria and dengue patients but it was much pronounced in dengue haemorrhagic fever where it attained 3-4 folds increase. Creatinine and urea showed higher levels in dengue compared to malaria. Thrombocytopenia (76.27%), convulsions (18.64%) and hepatic dysfunction (5.08%) were more prominent in dengue than that in malaria where these parameters were 50.89, 7.14 and 2.67%, respectively. Conversely, cases with anaemia, splenomegaly and jaundice were three times more in falciparum malaria. Acute renal failures and neurological sequelae were noticed in slightly higher number of dengue patients.

Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia and hepatic dysfunction were more common in dengue, while anaemia, splenomegaly, jaundice and convulsions were more frequent in falciparum malaria. Neurological sequelae and cases of acute renal failure were almost equal in both the infections.