Abstract:
In 2022, there were 249 million cases of malaria globally, resulting in 608,000 deaths. The majority of cases and deaths
occurred in the WHO (World Health Organization) African Region. A study in our region found that, out of 263,476 individuals,
148,734 had P. falciparum, 106,946 had P. vivax, and 7,796 had mixed infections. The prevalence of P. falciparum (Plasmodium
falciparum) was 8.97% and P. vivax (Plasmodium Vivax) was 7.94%. Although there have been a few reported cases of cerebral
malaria caused by P. vivax, there is currently no comprehensive analysis of such cases. All the cases that have been reported so far
involved individuals living in malaria-endemic areas, who presented with symptoms characteristic of cerebral malaria. Cerebral
malaria was diagnosed based on the clinical algorithm which WHO used except we used P. vivax instead of P. falciparum The
diagnosis of these cases was confirmed through thin blood film examination and Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Therefore, this report
aims to provide additional data on the occurrence of P. vivax as a cause of cerebral malaria. It also recommends further studies to
reassess the current clinical case definition of cerebral malaria mainly in endemic areas as it affects patient treatment outcome.
Keywords: cerebral malaria, P. Vivax and Blood Film
