Severe and complicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in children.

Plasmodium vivax, thought to be benign until recently, has been associated with severe malaria and its complications. This retrospective study describes severe and complicated P. vivax malaria in children. It affected almost all of the organ systems and the most commonly found complications were thrombocytopenia and severe anaemia. All children with malaria, including malaria caused by P. vivax, should be monitored for such complications.