DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjams.2026.v14i10.001

Pages: 1182-1186

Malaria remains a major global health problem, particularly among travelers returning from endemic regions. Most severe or fatal cases occur due to delays in treatment. The aim of our study is to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and biological profile of the severe malaria cases we collected and to analyze the criteria for severity and the reasons for patients’ admission to the intensive care unit. This is a descriptive retrospective study of 23 cases of severe malaria diagnosed in the Parasitology and Mycology Department between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2023. Data were collected from the records and medical files of patients hospitalized for severe malaria. A statistical analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for severe malaria. The mean age of our patients was 35 ± 2 years; 22 were men (96%). Univariate analysis showed that parasitemia ≥ 4% (p < 0.01), a shorter length of stay (p = 0.006), thrombocytopenia (p = 0.024), and elevated total bilirubin levels (p < 0.01) were associated with severe disease. Multivariate analysis showed that a parasitemia of ≥ 4% (odds ratio [OR] = 50.3; confidence interval [CI] = 6.31–400; p < 0.01) and total bilirubin > 50 µmol/l (OR = 33; CI = 5.17–211; p < 0.01) were independently associated with severe disease. Severe malaria remains a public health problem in both endemic and non-endemic countries due to the high mortality rates it causes; in this study, no deaths were reported, which is attributed to prompt diagnosis and treatment. Keywords: Malaria, severe cases, returning travelers, thrombocytopenia, high parasitemia.