MALARIA IN CHILDREN IN CHICAGO

Objective. To review the experience of a large children's hospital and two community hospitals in Chicago in which malaria was diagnosed in children during a recent 6-year period. Methods. Retrospective medical record review covering the years 1985 to 1990. Results. Twenty cases of childhood malaria were diagnosed, generally in patients hospitalize d for fever unresponsive to oral antibiotics also associated with sple nomegaly, with presumptive diagnoses of malignancy, typhoid fever, acu te appendicitis, or urinary tract infection. History of recent immigra tion to the United States or travel to a malaria-endemic area was freq uently not elicited until several days into hospitalization, thus dela ying diagnosis and therapy. Conclusions. Because malaria in the United States pediatric population has increased as a result of foreign immi gration and overseas travel, pediatricians must be alert to the possib ility of malaria in febrile children, and the importance of antimalari al prophylaxis should be communicated to parents of children traveling to endemic areas.