Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Measuring Naturally Acquired Phagocytosis-Inducing Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Parasites by a Flow Cytometry-Based Assay
Published on: August 6, 2020
Prevalence of congenital malaria in Ile-ife, Nigeria
P O Obiajunwa1, J A Owa, O O Adeodu
1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. pobiajun10@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract:
The study was designed to determine the prevalence of congenital malaria, cord blood and placental malaria parasitaemia and the prevalence of clinical manifestations of congenital malaria. Ile-Ife is a holoendemic area for malaria. Placental, cord and peripheral blood smears of 120 newborn babies were examined for malaria parasites. They consisted of 104 (86.7 per cent) full term babies and 16 (13.3 per cent) preterm babies. Positive parasitaemia was found in 56 (46.7 per cent) of peripheral blood smears, 68 (56.7 per cent) and 65 (54.2 per cent) of the placental and cord blood smears respectively. There were strong associations between placental malaria and cord malaria parasitaemia and congenital malaria (p < 0.001). Congenital malaria has a high prevalence in Ile-Ife. There is a paucity of its clinical manifestations in the newborn. Only two babies had fever within 48 hours of birth.
Related Concept Videos
Malaria
Symbiosis
Amebiasis
Cytomegalovirus Disease
Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
American Trypanosomiasis

