Congenital malaria due to chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax: a case report

J Trop Pediatr. 2010 Dec;56(6):454-5. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmq025. Epub 2010 Apr 13.

Abstract

The clinical manifestation of malaria in neonates and young infants is non-specific and differs from that of adults and older children. So a high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose malaria in early infancy. Chloroquine is the first-line treatment for Plasmodium vivax malaria in most parts of the world. This case report details a case of chloroquine-resistant malaria due to P. vivax by transplacental transmission from mother with mixed infection of P. falciparum and P. vivax in a 26-day-old young infant who presented with moderate grade fever and reviews the literature of malaria in infantile and neonatal age groups. And we concluded that high suspicion of malaria is needed to diagnose congenital malaria. Primigravida women with placental malaria pose high risk for congenital infection in baby and emerging chloroquine-resistant P. vivax in congenital malaria.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Child
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Resistance
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Malaria, Vivax / congenital
  • Malaria, Vivax / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Vivax / drug therapy*
  • Malaria, Vivax / parasitology
  • Plasmodium vivax / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Chloroquine