Congenital Malaria in a 2-Day-Old Neonate: A Case Report and Literature Review

Congenital malaria is the presence of malaria parasites in a blood smear obtained from a neonate usually within 24 hours to 7 days of life. It has for long been regarded a rare condition. However, recent data indicate that congenital malaria complicates around 35.9% of live births globally, 0–37% in...

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Main Authors: Dickson Kajoba, Walufu Ivan Egesa, Habonimana Jean Petit, Muhiadin Omar Matan, Goretty Laker, William Mugowa Waibi, Daniel Asiimwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9960006
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Summary:Congenital malaria is the presence of malaria parasites in a blood smear obtained from a neonate usually within 24 hours to 7 days of life. It has for long been regarded a rare condition. However, recent data indicate that congenital malaria complicates around 35.9% of live births globally, 0–37% in Sub-Saharan Africa and about 4–6.1% in Eastern Uganda. We present a 2-day-old neonate who presented with fever, irritability, and failure to breastfeed. Laboratory tests indicated that the neonate had a positive Giemsa-stained peripheral smear for Plasmodium falciparum, with a positive malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) for P. falciparum malaria. The mother had a negative peripheral film for malaria and a negative MRDT. The neonate was managed with intravenous artesunate with improvement.
ISSN:2090-6625
2090-6633