Malaria and leishmaniasis: Updates on co-infection

Front Immunol. 2023 Feb 21:14:1122411. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1122411. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Malaria and leishmaniasis are endemic parasitic diseases in tropical and subtropical countries. Although the overlap of these diseases in the same host is frequently described, co-infection remains a neglected issue in the medical and scientific community. The complex relationship of concomitant infections with Plasmodium spp. and Leishmania spp. is highlighted in studies of natural and experimental co-infections, showing how this "dual" infection can exacerbate or suppress an effective immune response to these protozoa. Thus, a Plasmodium infection preceding or following Leishmania infection can impact the clinical course, accurate diagnosis, and management of leishmaniasis, and vice versa. The concept that in nature we are affected by concomitant infections reinforces the need to address the theme and ensure its due importance. In this review we explore and describe the studies available in the literature on Plasmodium spp. and Leishmania spp. co-infection, the scenarios, and the factors that may influence the course of these diseases.

Keywords: Leishmania; Plasmodium; co-infection; immune response; tropical diseases.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Coinfection* / complications
  • Humans
  • Leishmania*
  • Leishmaniasis* / complications
  • Leishmaniasis* / diagnosis
  • Leishmaniasis* / drug therapy
  • Malaria* / complications
  • Malaria* / epidemiology
  • Plasmodium*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - FAPERJ (FL grant # E26/211.323/2019; PC Emergentes grant # E-26/010.002168/2019, and PC JCNE E-26/203.253/2017), and FIOCRUZ -PAEF (PC grant No. IOC-023-FIO-18-2-63). FL and PC are PQ-fellows of the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq (FL Process No. 308809/2019-0; PC Process No. 312573/2020-0). This work was developed in the framework of the Rio de Janeiro Research Network on Neuroinflammation (FAPERJ - grant # E-26/211.571/2019).