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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Rapoport
Bernardo L
BL
The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa. brapoport@icon.co.za
Uys
Almarie
A
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013019:South Africa
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents