Author summary Spontaneous rupture of the spleen is an unusual but severe complication of malaria. Here, we present the case of an otherwise healthy 35-year-old man who presented with splenic rupture hours after starting antimalarial treatment for an acute Plasmodium ovale sensu lato. infection. The spleen is known to be a major site for parasite destruction in malaria, but recent observations have shown that intact P. falciparum- and P. vivax-infected red blood cells accumulate in the spleen. In our reported case, spleen histology showed a 10-fold accumulation of intact P. ovale s.l.-infected erythrocytes in the spleen parenchyma compared to the general circulation, suggesting that intact P. ovale s.l. similarly accumulates in the spleen tissue. We also found infected erythrocytes accumulated in small extra-splenic blood vessels, suggesting cytoadherence. Our case report reinforces the importance of carrying out further studies to better understand ovale malaria pathogenesis and potential clinical complications.
Case Report
A previously healthy 35-year-old French man, living in Dakar, Senegal, from 2021 to 2023, travelled to Abéché and Adré, Chad, in May 2023. Whereas he took no prophylaxis against malaria in Senegal, an atovaquone/proguanil regimen was corr… [12433 chars]
Source: PLOS (Public Library of Science) | Published: 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z
Credit: PLOS (Public Library of Science)
