A 55-year-old female presents with a high fever and severe abdominal pain. She lives in a malaria-endemic region and also has a history of gallstones. What could be the potential diagnosis and next steps?
This patient could have a condition called acalculous cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder that can occur as a rare complication of malaria, particularly in patients with a history of gallstones. Immediate ultrasound of the abdomen should be performed to assess the gallbladder. The diagnosis of malaria should be confirmed with a blood smear or RDT. If both conditions are confirmed, she should be admitted for antimalarial treatment and potentially surgical intervention for the cholecystitis.