Age as a risk factor for severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in nonimmunepatients

In this nationwide, cross-sectional study, we evaluated the influence of ag e and other factors that affect clinical outcome of Plasmodium falciparum m alaria in nonimmune patients. Of 135 patients with P. falciparum malaria, 8 4 (62%) were <40 years old, and only 5% of the patients in this age group d eveloped severe malaria, compared with 18% of the subjects who were <greate r than or equal to>40 years of age (odds ratio, 4.29); moreover, all deaths occurred in the latter group. Male subjects did not differ from female sub jects with regard to severity of disease.