Chronic Malaria Is Associated With Trauma-related Splenic Rupture Requiring Splenectomy

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Abstract
Splenic rupture is a recognized complication of acute Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria, but the risk of splenic rupture in chronic asymptomatic infections is unknown. In Timika, Papua, Indonesia, we determined the proportion of PCR-detectable asymptomatic peripheral parasitemia in patients undergoing trauma-related splenectomy (2015–21) and found it was more than twice the proportion compared to a 2013 household survey of the general population (87.9% [29/33] vs 38.6% [697/1807]; P < .0001). Our findings suggest asymptomatic parasitemia with either P. falciparum or P. vivax is associated with splenic rupture following trauma, pointing toward an additional consequence of chronic infection in malaria-endemic areas.
Funding Information
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (1037304)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (1042072)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (1135820)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (2025376)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (2008501)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (2025377)
  • Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (1131932)
  • Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North
  • Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination
  • Wellcome Trust (099875)
  • Australian Government Postgraduate Award Scholarship
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-24-CE17-2900-01)
  • National Institutes of Health
  • IDEX Université Paris Cité (ANR-18-IDEX-0001)
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government

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