IMPACT OF COINFECTION OF PV B19 ON THE COURSE AND PROGNOSIS OF MALARIA CAUSED BY PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM

Abstract

Parvovirus infection (PVI) is widespread in the world; more than 80% of the adult population have antibodies of IgG class to parvovirus B19. Malaria is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by the protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, that is widespread in the countries of Africa, Southeast Asia, Oceania. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of parvovirus B19 infection on the clinical course of malaria and the outcome of the underlying disease. During the period 2016–2018 blood plasma samples of 316 patients from the hospital of the Friya Prefecture of the Republic of Guinea (GR) with confirmed diagnosis of malaria were examined for the presence of PVB19 DNA. The clinical course of malaria in 316 examined patients was divided into group of either mild or complicated. In total, PVB19 DNA was detected in blood plasma in 55 of 316 patients (17.41±2.13%). But in the group with co-infection of PVB19 and P. falciparum complications were observed in 40 of 55 (72.73±2.75%) patients, and in 6 of 55 cases (10.91±4.40%) the disease resulted in death. In the group of patients with malaria without PVI, complications occurred in 99 of 261 patients (37.9±3.0%); of those 2 (0.77±0.54%) died. It was found that the most numerous group in the structure of malaria patients is represented by children under 5 (median 3) years (89, or 28.25±2.53%). Our results correlate with the data of other researchers who studied the PVI-associated malaria in children in malaria-endemic regions: among children under 5 years, the absolute majority of cases of PVI was accompanied by a complicated course of malaria. The primary parvovirus infection can aggravate the course of malaria, especially when combined with other unfavorable conditions (iron deficiency, malnutrition, helminthic infections, co-infections, etc.). Thus, infection with PVB19 becomes a critical factor, which can provoke a severe life-threatening anemia, and also cause other complications.