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.