Severe Congenital Malaria Acquired in utero
- Jeanne R. Poespoprodjo,
- Afdal Hasanuddin,
- Wendelina Fobia,
- Paulus Sugiarto,
- Enny Kenangalem,
- Daniel A. Lampah,
- Emiliana Tjitra,
- Ric N. Price and
- Nicholas M. Anstey*
- District Health Authority, Timika, Papua, Indonesia; Menzies School of Health Research-National Institute of Health Research and Development Malaria Research Program, Timika, Papua, Indonesia; Mitra Masyarakat Hospital, Timika, Papua, Indonesia; International Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; National Institute of Health Research and Development, Jakarta, Indonesia; Centre for Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Australia
- ↵*Address correspondence to Nicholas M. Anstey, International Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, PO Box 41096, Casuarina, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia. E-mail: anstey{at}menzies.edu.au
Abstract.
Vertical transmission of Plasmodium falciparum is under-recognized and usually associated with asymptomatic low-level parasitemia at birth. We report symptomatic congenital malaria presenting as a neonatal sepsis syndrome. The presence at birth of a high asexual parasitemia, gametocytemia, and splenomegaly indicated in utero rather than intrapartum transmission. The neonate was successfully treated with intravenous artesunate followed by oral dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, without apparent adverse effects.
Footnotes
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Financial support: Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.
- Received December 10, 2009.
- Accepted December 26, 2009.
- ©The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
