PLASMODIUM-VIVAX CONGENITAL MALARIA IN A NEWBORN OF A ZAIRIAN IMMIGRANT

We report a case of congenital malaria in a newborn whose mother is a native of Zaire now living in Italy. The baby developed remittent feve r in the 3rd week of life with. anaemia and hepatosplenomegaly. Malari a parasites found in blood smears and erroneously diagnosed initially as Plasmodium falciparum were subsequently recognized as Plasmodium vi vax. On the basis of the first diagnosis, treatment with quinine chlor hydrate was successfully undertaken without significant side-effects. P. vivax parasites were also recovered a posteriori in blood smears of the mother who was febrile during the week of her delivery. This repo rt suggests that symptomatic congenital malaria may be more common tha n is generally thought and should be suspected in non-malarious countr ies in febrile newborns born to mothers who have travelled in or immig rated from malaria-endemic areas.