Explosive HIV pandemic fuels spread of malaria and vice versa
About 40 million Africans are infected with HIV, and new studies show that HIV infections increase the risk of malaria infection, and vice versa, fuelling the spread of both pathogens. (According to a study published in Science, being parasitized by malaria – even if the infected person is not sick – increases the risk of getting HIV.) The presence of HIV infections can increase malaria by up to nine times. Malaria in HIV-infected people also seems to increase HIV viral loads, which may encourage the AIDS control community to start fighting malaria as well.
For more:
Laith J Abu-Raddad et al, “Dual infection with HIV and malaria fuels the spread of both diseases in sub-Saharan Africa,”Science”, December 8, 2006
Savarino et al, “Effects of chloroquine on viral infections,” Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2003, November, 3 (11)
