Simultaneous diagnosis of severe imported Plasmodium falciparum malaria and HIV: report of three cases

Nuno Rocha Pereira, António Sarmento, Lurdes Santos

The increasing number of travellers to and from areas where considerable overlap between high malaria transmission and elevated prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection exists, augment the probability that returning travellers to non-endemic countries might present with both infections. The presence of such co-infection can increase the severity of malaria episodes and also can change the progression of HIV infection. This article describes three travellers returning from malaria-endemic areas that had simultaneous diagnosis of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria and HIV infection. Despite the severe forms of malaria and HIV co-infection, all patients responded successfully to anti-malarial treatment. Malaria and HIV interact with one another, with HIV infection increasing parasite burden, clinical severity and risk of complications of malaria; malaria seems to create an immunological interaction favourable to HIV spread and replication, with impact in progression to AIDS. The presence of malaria and HIV co-infection also poses other challenges related to treatment response, level of care and possible interactions of drugs. The authors recommend that all patients with fever returning from malaria endemic areas should be screened both for malaria and HIV infection.