# A Case of Intercurrent Dengue and Probable Relapsing Plasmodium vivax Malaria in a Returned Traveler to India: Case Report and Literature Review

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of a traveler who had both dengue and relapsing malaria after returning from India, highlighting the need for better diagnostic approaches.

## Contribution

The paper presents a unique case suggesting dengue may trigger relapsing Plasmodium vivax malaria in travelers.

## Key findings

- A returned traveler showed signs of co-infection with dengue and Plasmodium vivax.
- The case suggests dengue might trigger a relapse of P. vivax malaria.
- Current diagnostic methods may miss co-infections due to limited testing.

## Abstract

Dengue and malaria are common vector-borne tropical diseases and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Co-infection of dengue and malaria is underestimated due to parsimonious diagnostic approaches once the diagnosis of either is made, particularly using point-of-care assays, such as rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). We present a case of dengue and Plasmodium vivax co-infection in a returned traveler from an endemic region, in whom the epidemiology and clinical course are highly suggestive of dengue triggering a P. vivax relapse. The literature on the co-occurrence of dengue and malaria in travelers is reviewed, as is the state of knowledge surrounding dengue as a precipitant to relapsing malaria.