Rare Malaria Case in Jakarta: Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Strategies for General Practitioners in Non-Endemic Area
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59888/ajosh.v3i6.539Keywords:
Malaria;, mixed plasmodium infection;, dengue fever;, non-endemic regionsAbstract
Malaria, a significant global health issue caused by Plasmodium species, is rare in urban areas like Jakarta but remains endemic in regions such as Papua, Indonesia. This case report highlights a mixed Plasmodium infection (P. vivax and P. malariae) in a 27-year-old male presenting with fever, chills, and body aches. Initially misdiagnosed with dengue fever due to overlapping symptoms, further history revealed recent travel to Papua, leading to malaria diagnosis via blood smear examination. The case emphasizes diagnostic challenges in non-endemic regions where general practitioners may lack familiarity with malaria, especially in atypical presentations. Rapid diagnostic tests, hematological markers, and detailed travel histories are critical for improving diagnostic accuracy. Treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and primaquine was effective, showcasing the importance of adhering to national malaria guidelines. This report highlights the need for heightened awareness, better training, and improved diagnostic resources to manage malaria in non-endemic urban areas effectively.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Melvin Andrean, Afif Faizi Assafah

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.