CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS, LABORATORY FINDINGS, AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA: A CASE SERIES AT LEVEL 2 FIELD HOSPITAL 2.7, BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59354/ydth175.2026.454Keywords:
P. falciparum, malaria, South Sudan, field hospitalAbstract
Objective: To describe the clinical features, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes of Plasmodium falciparum malaria at Level 2 Field Hospital 2.7 in South Sudan.
Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study, presented as a case series of 9 patients who were confirmed to have Plasmodium falciparum malaria at Level 2 Field Hospital 2.7 in September 2025. All cases during the study period were included in the analysis. Data were collected from medical records, including epidemiological information, clinical symptoms, laboratory results, diagnostic methods for malaria (rapid diagnostic test and peripheral blood smear), disease severity classification (based on WHO 2025 criteria), and treatment outcomes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Categorical variables were shown as percentages, while continuous variables were presented as median and interquartile range (IQR). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0.
Results: All 9/9 patients were male, with a median age of 44 years (IQR: 38–47). The most common symptoms at onset were fever (100%), chills (100%), and headache (100%). Other symptoms included sweating (66.7%), fatigue and muscle pain (44.4%), nausea or vomiting (33.3%), dry cough (33.3%), and back pain (11.1%). All cases were confirmed by using both methods: rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and peripheral blood smear. All 9/9 patients were treated with oral artemisinin-based combination therapy (artemether/lumefantrine), along with supportive care such as antipyretics, fluid, and electrolyte replacement. The average treatment duration was 6.7 days (range: 6–8 days). All patients (100%) had complete clinical recovery, with no complications or deaths reported during hospitalization.
Conclusion: Patients with P. falciparum malaria at Level 2 Field Hospital 2.7 in 2025 most commonly presented with fever, chills, and headache. All cases in this study were uncomplicated malaria, and no signs of severe malaria were found according to WHO criteria. Most laboratory results were within normal limits. Only two cases showed liver enzyme levels increased to three times the normal range. These findings are similar to previous studies on malaria. They highlight the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), especially in a field hospital setting. This approach helps control the disease effectively and reduces the risk of progression to severe malaria.
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