malariotherapy

ther·a·peu·tic ma·lar·i·a

intentionally induced malaria, formerly used against neurosyphilis and certain other paralytic diseases. Synonym(s): malariotherapy

malariotherapy

The intentional inoculation of a patient with “benign” tertian malaria (Plasmodium vivax), a modality used in the pre-antibiotic era for treating neurosyphilis.
The data from uncontrolled studies suggest that there was little, if any, effect on the underlying syphilis, despite the nonspecific immune reaction with fever and secretion of TNF and IL-1, as the reports of success were largely clinical without laboratory confirmation. While it was thought that patients with neuroborreliosis (advanced Lyme disease) might respond to malariotherapy, it may complicate or exacerbate an already poor clinical situation (e.g., for Lyme disease) or be associated with clinical malaria.

ther·a·peu·tic ma·lar·i·a

(thār'ă-pyū'tik mă-lar'ē-ă) Intentionally induced malaria, formerly used against neurosyphilis and certain other paralytic diseases.
Synonym(s): malariotherapy.

malariotherapy

(mă-lār-ē-ō-thĕr′ă-pē) An obsolete method of treating syphilis of the central nervous system by injecting malarial organisms into the body. The organisms produce hyperthermia, which is then terminated by administration of an antimalarial.