Spontaneous Subdural Empyema Following a High-Parasitemia Infection in a 58-Year-Old Female From a Malaria-Endemic Region

Abstract

Malaria remains a significant public health problem of the tropical world. Falciparum malaria is most prevalent in the sub-Saharan African region, which harbors about 90% of all malaria cases and fatalities globally. Infection by the falciparum species often manifests with a spectrum of multi-organ complications (eg, cerebral malaria), some of which are life-threatening. Spontaneous subdural empyema is a very rare complication of cerebral malaria that portends a very poor prognosis unless diagnosed and treated promptly. We report a case of spontaneous subdural empyema in a 58-year-old woman from Tanzania who presented with high-grade fever, decreased urine output, and altered sensorium.