A case of congenital malaria

Case Report


Korean J Parasitol. 1984 Jun;22(1):72-77. English. Published online Mar 20, 1994. http://dx.doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1984.22.1.72
Copyright © 1984 by The Korean Society for Parasitology


A case of congenital malaria
Kook In Park,Hee Dae Park,Dong Gwan Han,Kir Young Kim,Duk Young Min and Chin Thack Soh
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.


Abstract
A case of congenital malaria infection has been studied in a 46-day old female Korean infant. Her mother suffered from malaria infection during pregnancy in Uppervolta, Africa, and returned to Korea at the 9th month of gestation for delivery. At 39 days of age, the clinical features characterized by fever, irritability, pallor, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly were developed. The laboratory data revealed a hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia and increased hepatic enzyme values. A peripheral blood smear demonstrated intraerythrocytic malarial parasites snd gametocytes of Plasmodium falcifarum. She was successfully treated with quinine sulfate (25 mg/kg/day in three doses for 5 days) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (8 mg/kg/day in two doses for 5 days) orally, and repeated blood smear had been negative for malaria. This report also signifies the frst description of congenital malaria in Korea imported from Uppervolta in Africa. A brief review of related literature was made.

Figures


	Fig. 1 A 46-day old female Korean infant with congenital infection of Plasmodium falciparum. Remarkable hepatic and splenic enlargement were noticed.


	Fig. 2 A photograph of a typical gametocyte of lasmodium falciparum froma peripheral blood smear (arrow) of 46-day old female Korean infant. (Giemsa stain, ×1,000)

Tables


	Table 1 Laborttory findings

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