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Case Reports
. 2022 Jun 1;30(2):304-308.
doi: 10.53854/liim-3002-18. eCollection 2022.

Recrudescence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria 5 years after treatment in an HIV migrant: a case report with a peculiar presentation

Arianna Forniti  1 , Niccolò Riccardi  1 , Pietro Sponga  1 , Chiara Buono  1 , Riccardo Iapoce  1 , Lorenzo Roberto Suardi  1 , Giusy Tiseo  1 , Marco Falcone  1 , Francesco Menichetti  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Recrudescence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria 5 years after treatment in an HIV migrant: a case report with a peculiar presentation

Arianna Forniti et al. Infez Med. .

Abstract

In the last two decades, several cases of delayed-onset malaria in migrants from endemic areas were reported. The decrease of acquired immunity over time, often enhanced by immune suppression, represents a possible underlying mechanism for recrudescence. Here we describe a case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria occurring five years after exposure in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus, originating from Ivory Coast. Peculiarly, bilateral subsegmental pulmonary embolism in the absence of deep venous thrombosis was also detected, requiring anticoagulant therapy. Treatment with dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine was followed by clearance of trophozoites and the patient was discharged home.

Keywords: HIV; Plasmodium falciparum; late-onset malaria; malaria recrudescence; pulmonary embolism.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Thin blood smear with a trophozoite (T) (panel A) and a gametocyte (G) (panel B); W, white blood cell. E, erythrocyte.
Figure 2, panel A and panel B
Figure 2, panel A and panel B
Thick blood smear with two Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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