Malaria and HIV: A Double Whammy

HIV infection significantly increases susceptibility to malaria and vice versa, and in coinfected persons, recurrent viral-load increases during malaria episodes may promote spread of HIV.

HIV infection and falciparum malaria are highly prevalent in Africa. Findings from previous investigations suggest that febrile malaria episodes increase HIV viral load by one log and that HIV infection increases the risk for acquiring malaria. A new mathematical modeling study estimates the public health effects of the HIV-malaria interaction.

Using assumptions derived from published studies, investigators modeled HIV and malaria infections under conditions present in Kisumu, Kenya. The model indicates that interaction between the two pathogens increases HIV and malaria prevalence by 8% and 13%, respectively, compared to situations with no interaction. Such interaction may account for 8500 excess HIV cases and 980,000 excess malaria episode…

Reviewing Author

Bradley E. Britigan, MD

Malaria and HIV: A Double Whammy

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Reviewing Author