Malaria and Borrelia co-infection

Severe anemia requiring blood transfusion may complicate falciparum malaria, but is rare in nonfalciparum malaria. We present a case of a young man with high fever, severe hemolytic anemia, and a blood film containing massive co-infection with Plasmodium vivax and with Borrelia. The possible importance of the co-infection on the magnitude of hemolysis will be discussed.