Tropical splenomegaly syndrome

NEET PG Pathology
#1

TROPICAL SPLENOMEGALY SYNDROME
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■ a/k/a HYPER-REACTIVE MALARIAL SPLENOMEGALY:–

■ due immunological over-stimulation to repeated attacks of malarial infection over a long period of time.

■ usually seen in malaria-endemic areas like Africa and Indian subcontinent.

■ Tropical Splenomegaly Syndrome is characterized by :-

  1. massive splenomegaly;
  2. hepatomegaly,
  3. marked elevations in levels of serum IgM and
  4. anti-malarial antibodies.

■ marked erythrophagocytosis and lymphocytic infiltration of the pulp

■ Peripheral smear for malerial parasite is usually negative.

■ Condition may show features of hypersplenism in severe form like anemia and thrombocytopenia.
■ treatment of tropical splenomegaly
administration of antimalarial drug followed by prophylaxis for prolonged periods of time. This remove the add-on antigenic stimulus of repeated malarial infections and allow the reticuloendothelial system to return to normal