Peripheral blood stem cell transplant-related Plasmodium falciparum infection in a patient with sickle cell disease.

Background: Although transmission of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infection during red blood cell (RBC) transfusion from an infected donor has been well documented, malaria parasites are not known to infect hematopoietic stem cells. We report a case of Pf infection in a patient 11 days after peripheral blood stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease.

Study Design And Methods: Malaria parasites were detected in thick blood smears by Giemsa staining.