SEVERE CEREBRAL SWELLING IS NOT OBSERVED IN CHILDREN DYING WITH MALARIA

In an autopsy study in Abidjan, Cote d'lvoire, 14/155 brains of childr en <13 years had malaria parasites within cerebral blood vessels. This was associated with cerebral swelling (57% of brains), ventricular co mpression (86%) and mild basal grooving (43%), but not with coning of the medulla and cerebellum The pathophysiology of cerebral malaria doe s not culminate in severe raised intracranial pressure and herniation, and over-concern over the safety of lumbar puncture in malaria may no t be warranted.