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Review
. 2023 Feb 21:14:1122411.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1122411. eCollection 2023.

Malaria and leishmaniasis: Updates on co-infection

Uyla Ornellas-Garcia  1   2 , Patricia Cuervo  3   4 , Flávia Lima Ribeiro-Gomes  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Malaria and leishmaniasis: Updates on co-infection

Uyla Ornellas-Garcia et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Malaria and leishmaniasis are endemic parasitic diseases in tropical and subtropical countries. Although the overlap of these diseases in the same host is frequently described, co-infection remains a neglected issue in the medical and scientific community. The complex relationship of concomitant infections with Plasmodium spp. and Leishmania spp. is highlighted in studies of natural and experimental co-infections, showing how this "dual" infection can exacerbate or suppress an effective immune response to these protozoa. Thus, a Plasmodium infection preceding or following Leishmania infection can impact the clinical course, accurate diagnosis, and management of leishmaniasis, and vice versa. The concept that in nature we are affected by concomitant infections reinforces the need to address the theme and ensure its due importance. In this review we explore and describe the studies available in the literature on Plasmodium spp. and Leishmania spp. co-infection, the scenarios, and the factors that may influence the course of these diseases.

Keywords: Leishmania; Plasmodium; co-infection; immune response; tropical diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Development of a disease: interplay between environment, host, pathogen, and co-infection. The course of disease development cannot be sufficiently predicted by the interaction of host, pathogen and environment alone. Co-infection (s), along with the other factors, can interfere with the duration of infection, level of infectivity, clinical manifestations, and transmission, which can compromise disease control.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Geographical overlap of malaria and leishmaniasis cases worldwide. Geographical distribution of countries co-endemic for malaria and leishmaniasis. Cases of malaria and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are reported in countries highlighted in mustard; cases of malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are reported in countries highlighted in red, and cases of malaria and both leishmaniasis (VL and CL) are reported in countries highlighted in green.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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