Increased imported severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria involving hyperparasitaemia (>10%) in a UK hospital following relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions compared to the pre-pandemic period

Bennett Choy; Henrietta Bristowe; Baktash Khozoee; Temi Lampejo

doi:10.1093/jtm/taac116

Increased imported severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria involving hyperparasitaemia (>10%) in a UK hospital following relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions compared to the pre-pandemic period

J Travel Med. 2022 Dec 27;29(8):taac116. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taac116.

Authors

Bennett Choy¹, Henrietta Bristowe¹, Baktash Khozoee¹, Temi Lampejo¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Infection Sciences, King s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK.

Abstract

We identified and compared patients diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria at a large hospital in London, UK prior to the COVID-19 pandemic versus following relaxation of COVID-19-associated restrictions. We found that parasitaemias, rates of hyperparasitaemia and severe malaria were significantly higher in the period post-relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Keywords: Severe malaria; immunity; imported; travel.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Hospitals
Humans
Malaria, Falciparum* / epidemiology
Pandemics
Plasmodium falciparum
Travel
United Kingdom / epidemiology