[A case of Plasmodium ovale malaria with thrombocytopenia and an abnormality grade in FDP concentration despite the use of chloroquine as a malaria prophylaxis].

A 45-year-old Japanese male, who had been to the Central African Republic, was admitted to our hospital because of high fever with chills on July 29, 1994. He used chloroquine as a malaria prophylaxis during his stay and for 6 weeks after his return to Japan. On admission, Plasmodium ovale was detected in his blood smears and in the DNA analysis. He was treated successfully with chloroquine (1500 mg over 3 day period) and primaquine (15 mg/day for 14 days beginning day 4). Disappearance of malarial parasites in the peripheral blood smear occurred on the third day and his temperature returned to normal on the 4th day. Interestingly, he had thrombocytopenia and an abnormal grade in fibrin degradation products (FDP) concentration. This led to the suspicion of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This report indicates the importance of thrombocytopenia which may develop into DIC even though P. ovale malaria infection rarely becomes severe. This is the second report of a P. ovale malaria case in the Central African Republic.