Clinical features of vivax malaria

Plasmodium vivax malaria reemerged in the Republic of Korea in 1993 near th e Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). We reviewed clinical features of 101 symptomati c patients with vivax malaria. Of the patients, 77 patients (76.3%) were ve terans who had served near the DMZ; their median age was 23 years. The dura tion of the minimum latent period was > 6 months in 66.2% (51 of 77) of the patients (median, 278 days). Tertian fever developed in 69 patients (68.3% ). Severe thrombocytopenia with platelet counts < 60,000/muL was common (29 .6% of patients). The parasite densities ranged 32-52,127 parasites per mic roliter of blood (geometric mean, 1,287). The only complication was a splen ic rupture in one patient. All patients responded promptly to chloroquine t herapy. Our data suggest that the clinical features of reemerging vivax mal aria may be similar to those of Korean vivax malaria reported in the past.