Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria are endemic infections in India and are commonly associated with mild hematological abnormalities. Severe thrombocytopenia is common in isolated falciparum and mixed falciparum/vivax malaria, but is very rare in isolated P.vivax infection. We hereby report a case of severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count of 8x10(9)/L) in a case of vivax malaria. This is only the second case ever reported in the literature of such profound thrombocytopenia in a case of isolated P.vivax malaria.
Plasmodium vivax; malaria; severe thrombocytopenia