Malaria and COVID-19 in an Indigenous Patient, Overlapping of Two Febrile Illnesses

Abstract

ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an illness caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Malaria is a parasitic infection caused by the parasite genus Plasmodium. We present the case of a 69-year-old male indigenous patient from Amazonas, Venezuela, who complained of fever, cough, loss of taste and smell, and diarrhea. A SARS-CoV-2 PCR test was positive, and treatment was started. However, over the next few days, his condition worsened. In addition to his previous symptoms, the patient reported profuse sweating accompanied by fever and myalgia. Therefore, a blood smear and ELISA were performed, which were positive for Plasmodium falciparum, for which treatment with antimalarial agents was also started. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 12(1):27-30.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Malaria
• Coinfection
• Plasmodium falciparum
• SARS-CoV-2

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