Abstract
Introduction
Malaria is preventable, yet infection still occurs in UK travellers to tropical destinations. Effective health education, chemoprophylaxis and early identification of malaria are essential in primary care.
Case presentation
A 20 year old man presented with a fever associated with extreme lethargy and general myalgia during the H1N1 ‘pandemic’ in 2009. He was one of party of four people returning from The Gambia. Malaria was diagnosed and, following admission, Plasmodium falciparum parasites were identified. He was treated with intravenous quinine and doxycycline and made a full recovery. Two other members of the wedding party had flu like symptoms, but did not have malaria. One was diabetic.
Conclusion
Malaria must be considered in the differential diagnosis of fever in all people returning from the tropics. Primary care teams need to be aware of and encourage prevention strategies for people traveling to malarious areas. Diabetic patients may require dosage adjustments to prevent hypoglycaemia associated with anti-malarials.
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