Plasmodium malariae after successful treatment of P. falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine

We described a case of Plasmodium malariae malaria in a traveler returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Belgium. This occurred despite successful artemether-lumefantrine treatment for Plasmodium falciparum three weeks earlier and in the absence of re-exposure in an endemic area. We discuss possible explanations for this unusual observation. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Automated summary

A traveler was diagnosed with Plasmodium malariae malaria despite having received successful treatment for Plasmodium falciparum three weeks earlier and without re-exposure in an endemic area. Possible explanations for this uncommon observation were discussed.