DONADO-BOTERO, Ricardo; MONTOYA-JARAMILLO, Mario Enrique; ARANGO, Camilo Andres    ZAKZUK-MARTINEZ, Elías. Malaria and Leptospirosis Co-infection: Overlapping Tropical Diseases in an Endemic Area. Case Report. []. , 29, 1, pp.45-50.   22--2025. ISSN 0123-9392.  https://doi.org/10.22354/24223794.1215.

In Colombia, undifferentiated tropical febrile illnesses are common and a matter of great concern, with Malaria and Leptospirosis being considered of national public health importance. We report a clinical case of co-infection with malaria-leptospirosis in a 21- year-old female who initially presented with acute febrile syndrome and nonspecific general symptoms, along with hemorrhagic manifestations, and had recently traveled to an endemic area. The initial diagnosis was Malaria caused by P. Vivax, but there was no expected improvement despite starting antimalarial treatment. The condition progressed to respiratory distress, persistent anemia, and severe thrombocytopenia, with high suspicion of alveolar hemorrhage. Treatment was initiated in the context of Weil's disease, and serological tests using ELISA and MAT showed positive IgM for Leptospira. The patient showed a favorable clinical evolution with antibiotic treatment. Although extremely rare, simultaneous infections are possible, and their shared clinical characteristics make them a diagnostic challenge in our region, particularly in clinically compromised patients.

: Malaria; Leptospirosis; Coinfection; Weil's Disease; Alveolar Hemorrhage.

        · |     · |     · ( pdf )