Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19

It is unknown whether COVID-19 can trigger malaria recrudescence or relapse. Although Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence occurring years after infection is extremely rare, delayed Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale relapse from the latent hypnozoite stage is well described. We report a case of a...

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Main Authors: Katherine Reifler, Sonja Kytomaa, Nancy S. Miller, Daniel Bourque
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American College of Physicians 2023-05-01
Series:Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases
Online Access:https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/aimcc.2022.1034
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author Katherine Reifler
Sonja Kytomaa
Nancy S. Miller
Daniel Bourque
author_facet Katherine Reifler
Sonja Kytomaa
Nancy S. Miller
Daniel Bourque
author_sort Katherine Reifler
collection DOAJ
description It is unknown whether COVID-19 can trigger malaria recrudescence or relapse. Although Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence occurring years after infection is extremely rare, delayed Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale relapse from the latent hypnozoite stage is well described. We report a case of acute P falciparum and P ovale co-infection that occurred 2 weeks after COVID-19 in an otherwise immunocompetent patient living in a malaria nonendemic country and without exposure to malaria in the preceding 5 years. This case highlights a potential mechanism by which COVID-19–associated immune depletion and/or dysregulation may trigger a delayed presentation of malaria.
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series Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases
spelling doaj-art-8d62dad53acb4cccaa4fa4f507a3b6022025-08-20T03:18:46ZengAmerican College of PhysiciansAnnals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases2767-76642023-05-012510.7326/aimcc.2022.1034Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19Katherine Reifler0Sonja Kytomaa1Nancy S. Miller2Daniel Bourque31Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts2Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts3Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts1Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MassachusettsIt is unknown whether COVID-19 can trigger malaria recrudescence or relapse. Although Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence occurring years after infection is extremely rare, delayed Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale relapse from the latent hypnozoite stage is well described. We report a case of acute P falciparum and P ovale co-infection that occurred 2 weeks after COVID-19 in an otherwise immunocompetent patient living in a malaria nonendemic country and without exposure to malaria in the preceding 5 years. This case highlights a potential mechanism by which COVID-19–associated immune depletion and/or dysregulation may trigger a delayed presentation of malaria.https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/aimcc.2022.1034
spellingShingle Katherine Reifler
Sonja Kytomaa
Nancy S. Miller
Daniel Bourque
Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases
title Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
title_full Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
title_fullStr Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
title_full_unstemmed Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
title_short Delayed Malaria Recrudescence and Relapse in the Setting of COVID-19
title_sort delayed malaria recrudescence and relapse in the setting of covid 19
url https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/aimcc.2022.1034
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