SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics, P.O. Box 786692, Sandton 2146, South Africa.
Background. Both falciparum malaria and cholera occur in Mozambique and other resource poor African countries. We report successful parasite clearance by oral co-artemether of coincidental falciparum malaria in a patient suffering severe cholera. Methods. A case report. Results. Parasite clearance was observed at day 3. Conclusions. Oral artemether is sufficiently absorbed in the face of co-existent severe cholera to effect parasitological clearance of P. falciparum. This may be of relevance in resource poor tropical settings when a malaria patient presents with a simultaneous secretory diarrhoea, and a limited drug choice is available.