Peripheral gangrene in an 18-month-old boy with Plasmodium vivax malaria

An 18-month-old boy presented with a high-grade fever, generalised petechiae and rapidly progressive, blackish discolouration of the fingers of the hands for the past 3 days. At presentation, he was haemodynamically stable. There were gangrenous changes in the index and middle fingers of both hands. Plasmodium vivax was demonstrated in the peripheral blood smear but there was no evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. The platelet count fell to 10 x 10(9)/L. Bone marrow aspiration to rule out leukaemia demonstrated schizonts of P. vivax with some atypical lymphocytes. The fingers recovered completely. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of peripheral gangrene associated with P. vivax malaria.