Malaria parasitemia associated with febrile neutropenia in African patients undergoing chemotherapy for haematological malignancies - A report of three patients

Background: Very little is documented in the medical literature on the association between malaria parasitemia and febrile neutropenia in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. Methods: This report will concentrate on the clinical presentation and outcome of 3 patients with haematological malignancies undergoing chemotherapy who developed febrile neutropenia and malaria parasitemia concurrently. Results: Three patients infected with documented malaria during a febrile neutropenic episode are presented. Two patients (1 with Hodgkin's disease and the other with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) were successfully treated and are alive after a follow-up period of 120 and 90 months, respectively. A third patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia developed renal failure as a complicating factor of malaria and died. Conclusion: It is suggested that malaria should be considered as a possible cause or a complicating factor of febrile neutropenia in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy in endemic malaria areas. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.