Individuals infected with both the Ebola virus and the Plasmodium parasites responsible for malaria have a better chance of survival than those with solitary Ebola infections, according to a new study published in the journal of Clinical Infectious Disease.
Researchers from both the CDC and the National Institutes of Health tested 1,868 blood samples of people seeking care for possible Ebola infections. Ebola was confirmed in 1,182 samples, 956 were tested for Plasmodium parasites and 185 came back with positive tests for parasites. The survival rate among patients infected with Ebola sans parasites was 46 percent. Among those with concurrent infections, 58 percent survived. Those with the highest levels of Plasmodium had an 83 percent survival rate.
The study's authors concluded, "Plasmodium species parasitemia is associated with an increase in the probability of surviving Ebola virus infection. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanism underlying this remarkable phenomenon and translate it into treatment options for Ebola virus infection."
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