HEPATITIS OF MALARIAL ORIGIN

Abstract

HEPATITIS is the most significant feature of malaria now that drgus capable of eradicating the parasite from the body have been developed. Rapid presentday therapeutic measures fail to take cognizance of the fact that the hepatitis may be more incapacitating than the acute episode of parasitemia. Malaria has been found in 6.6% of returning Korea veterans.¹ Early in our experience with these patients we were impressed with the high incidence of abnormal hepatic function. The literature was reviewed, and numerous references concerning liver disease in malaria were found.* Most of these referred to hepatic dysfunction complicating malarial fever therapy of tertiary syphilis. Lippincott and co-workers reported transient abnormal hepatic function in 317 cases of chronic relapsing Plasmodium vivax malaria. Other authors investigating hepatic dysfunction in malaria either did not perform extensive tests of liver function or did not obtain liver biopsy specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty-four Korea veterans with malaria