Malaria is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium and transmitted to humans by mosquitoes of the genus Anophelis. In 2011, the Brazilian Amazon reported 266.348 cases. In Brazil, the most prevalent species is Plasmodium vivax (80%). It´s considered responsible for benign forms of malaria, reports have shown severe forms of pulmonary malaria and deaths. The pathophysiological mechanisms are not well understood.Thus, we analyzed 247 patients with vivax malaria recruited from the Clinical Trials Program in Malaria Institute Evandro Chagas (IEC) Belém / PA) and malaria diagnosis service of the Secretariat of Health of the city of Goianésia / Pará between April / 2011 to October / 2013 to evaluate clinical, epidemiological, parasitological, radiological, genetic and immune (variants of P. vivax) parameters, associating them to the pulmonary involvement in vivax malaria. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Instituto Evandro Chagas.Hematological parameters (blood count, transaminases, bilirubin), parasite density were analyzed as were measured at D0 and D14 serum levels of cytokines (TNF-, IL-10 and INFγ), relating to the pulmonary manifestations. D0 was determined prevalence of P. vivax variants (VK210 and VK247 and P. vivax-like) and established association of these variants with patients who had an abnormal chest X-ray and / or spirometry. The study was longitudinal, prospective analytical type involving clinical, immunological, hematological, and radiological aspects of respiratory function. Patients with pulmonary involvement confirmed by clinical and / or radiological and / or functional findings constituted the study group, and patients without such findings, the control group. Participants: those with vivax malaria diagnosed by thick blood, confirmed by PCR, 15-60 years old, both genders, with no chronic diseases, no use of corticosteroids at diagnosis and who signed the consent form. Project approved by the CEP of the IEC. Observed: 69.2% were males; mean age 35 years old; 64.4% lived in Belém; 79.8% contracted malaria in the state of Pará; First infection 42.5%; mean duration of disease 7.5 ± 5.9 days; average of 6979.25 ± 8692.22 parasitaemia parasites / mm3; 46.8% were overweight or obese I; smoking and previous lung disease were not risk factors for worsening of the disease in this sample; 92.3% had headache from malaria triad; among respiratory symptoms, cough was the most frequent (53.4%); hepatomegaly and splenomegaly was more frequent among naïve malaria; Thrombocytopenia was significant in D0; radiological abnormalities in 9.7% of cases; changes in X-ray were related to malaria shortness of breath and cough had statistical significance in those with changes in the X-ray and / or spirometry; IL-10 INFγ and cytokines were significantly higher compared D0 to D14, unlike that serum TNF levels were low in D0. VK210 P. vivax variant was more frequent (69.1%); there was no significant correlation in the appearance of changes in RX in this sample and / or spirometry related to any of the P. vivax subspecies. Among the cytokines, INFγ was significantly elevated in D0 associated to variants in the following situations: (VK210, VK247, VK210 / 247). IL-10 also significantly increased in D0 only when the subspecies was VK210. Lung malaria is a reality still underestimated, especially less prominent pulmonary manifestations, being necessary to investigate potential mechanisms involved linked to the host and the parasite, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis, avoiding unfavorable outcome.
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