Severe Plasmodium malariae malaria in a patient with multiple susceptibility genes.

We present a case of severe malaria due to Plasmodium malariae. Genetic testing showed that the patient was homozygous for five important gene polymorphisms previously shown to be associated with increased susceptibility to, and/or severity of, severe sepsis. Our case suggests that P. malariae may cause life-threatening disease, and that disease severity may be linked, at least in part, to multiple susceptibility genes.