The Changing Face of Plasmodium vivax Malaria: A Case Series Highlighting Severe and Multisystem Involvement in Eastern India

Case series IntroductIonMalaria continues to remain a major public health challenge globally, accounting for approximately 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the World Malaria Report 2024. 1 In India, malaria remains endemic, with fluctuating transmission trends across regions.Historically, Plasmodium falciparum was considered the primary species responsible for severe malaria.However, Plasmodium vivax (P.vivax)-once labeled as "benign tertian malaria"-has increasingly been associated with severe and complicated manifestations in recent years. 2,3ccording to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP, 2024), P. vivax currently accounts for 60-65% of total malaria cases in India, while P. falciparum constitutes approximately 30-35%.