Ultrasonic measurement of the liver in search of Plasmodium vivax cases that relapse

ObjectiveTo find out whether relapse can be differentiated in vivax patients.MethodsSixty three people suffering from vivax were taken and ultrasonography was done.ResultsAmong 63 persons, previous history of vivax was obtained in 51. Out of remaining 12, previous history of falciparum was found in 5, four had previous history of uncertain malaria and in three, no previous history of malaria was recorded. The liver was within normal size (≤140 mm) in 36 persons, and increased in size in 27 persons, of which enlarged (141–150 mm) in 14 and highly enlarged (beyond 150 mm) in 13 persons. Out of these 27 persons with enlarged livers 22 suffered from vivax previously. Altogether 18 out of 63 cases considered to be suffering from relapsed vivax cases in this study, which is alarming.ConclusionsThis simple, noninvasive procedure might provide a clue as to how relapse vivax cases can be determined.