Two Cases of Re-emerging Indigenous Malaria in Korean Children

자매에서 발생한 한국 토착형 소아 말라리아 2례

Malaria is a febrile disease caused by protozoan parasites, genus Plasmodium. In Korea., indigenous malaria has been believed to be eradicated by 1984, and, thereafter, all of the reported cases were imported malaria. But since the first case report of re-emerging indigenous malaria in 1993, increasing number of cases were reported reaching more than 350 cases in 1996. However, indigenous malaria in children has not been reported yet. We experienced two cases of indigenous malaria in sisters who were 7 and 5 years old, respectively. Elder sister was presented with periodic fever, splenomegaly and mild headache. She had been to Guam before 4 months of the onset of symptoms. Younger sister was suffered from fever and splenomegaly and has not been abroad. They were diagnosed by examination of peripheral blood smear to be infected with Plasmodium vivax and were treated with hydroxychloroquine and primaquine successfully. These cases are believed to be first re-emerging cases of indigenous malaria in children, and malaria should be included in the differential diagnosis of unexplained febrile children.