Malaria at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

Abstract

The number of immigrants to Canada from countries where malaria is endemic increased sevenfold between 1964 and 1974. From January 1973 through July 1975, 15 cases of malaria were treated at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. The only symptom common to all patients was fever, and it was not always cyclic. For any child with a fever of unknown cause who has been in a region where malaria is endemic within the previous 6 months, a blood smear should be examined for parasites. If the smear is negative even when stained with acridine orange, serologic testing should be performed. Acurrate species identification is important since therapy varies according to the causative organism.