ABSTRACT
In Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, 73 adult patients with cerebral malaria were screened for HIV antibodies. Thirteen patients were HIV seropositive and 60 patients were HIV negative. There were no significant differences between HIV positive and negative cases concerning depth and duration of coma, response to treatment and neurological outcome. However, HIV positive patients with cerebral malaria run a different clinical course. They showed significantly more recurrent short febrile illnesses before admission in coma and longer duration of fever before presentation. HIV positive patients had significantly more convulsive episodes during coma than HIV negative patients [OR = 4.4 [10.09 - 13.6], P < 0.0051]. Oral candidiasis was only reported in 6 [46%] patients. All were HIV positive. At time of recovery from coma, HIV patients had significantly lower total white cell count [p < 0.005]. We believe that these differences reflect the impact of each infection on the other. We think that frequent malaria attacks in an adult living in endemic area should rise the suspicion of underlying HIV infection