Scientists studying the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the Kenyan city of Kisumu have found malaria may be fuelling the spread of the killer scourge in the east African nation.

The new scientific studies say HIV was spreading more quickly than they would expect just through risky sexual behavior. When people with HIV/AIDS contract malaria, it causes a surge of HIV virus in their blood, making them more likely to infect a partner.

The way the two diseases interact can help them spread faster, said the research published in the journal Science.

"This results in an increase in the viral load ?C the amount of HIV virus in the body. Studies have shown that the higher the viral load, the easier a person is able to transmit the virus to another person if they are having unprotected sex," the studies say.

According to the researchers, 5 percent of HIV infections can be linked to increased viral load caused by malaria. They also believe that 10 percent of adult malaria cases are linked to HIV.

The further weakening of the body defense system of an HIV- positive person by malaria parasite is also known to intensify their progression towards HIV/AIDS.

Such development is likely to result in more deaths among the infected people, if they are not on a responsive treatment regime.

"This biological co-factor induced by malaria has contributed considerably to the spread of HIV by increasing HIV transmission probability per sexual act," said Laith Abu-Raddad, co-author of the study, carried out by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington.

"In turn, the weakening of the immune system by HIV infection has fuelled a rise in adult malaria-infection rates and may have facilitated the expansion of malaria in Africa," said another co- author, James Kublin of the Hutchinson Center.

The scientists said their findings had important implications for public health efforts - underlining the need for the authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa to tackle the two diseases together.

They also said it showed how other factors could influence the spread of HIV. Dr Kublin said genital herpes and tuberculosis were also suspected of increasing the likelihood of infection.

This increase may last for six to eight weeks, long after the person has recovered from malaria and is back to active sexual life, the studies showed.

Kenya currently has more than 260,000 people who urgently need ARVs, but only 110,000 are accessing these life-prolonging drugs, making those not on drugs possible candidates for death when attacked by malaria.

Malaria experts said the shocking findings are likely to cause concerns in 16 districts where malaria is widespread.

Source: Xinhua