Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
08:20
In Vitro Assay of Plasmodium-Infected Red Blood Cell Killing by Cytotoxic Lymphocytes
Published on: August 17, 2022
Neonatal Plasmodium vivax malaria.
D Oróstegui-Pinilla1, A J Rodríguez-Morales
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.
Tropical Biomedicine
|November 2, 2011
Summary
Neonatal malaria, though rare, can be serious. This case highlights successful treatment of a newborn with Plasmodium vivax malaria using chloroquine, demonstrating effective management of this tropical disease.
Area of Science:
- Tropical Medicine
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Congenital malaria is infrequently diagnosed, even in malaria-endemic regions.
- Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax can cause significant neonatal morbidity and mortality if not promptly treated.
- Early recognition and effective therapy are crucial for improving outcomes in congenital malaria cases.
Observation:
- A 19-day-old male neonate presented with symptoms suggestive of congenital malaria.
- The neonate exhibited low birth weight, thrombocytopenia, and significant Plasmodium vivax parasitemia.
- A positive maternal history was a key factor in suspecting neonatal malaria.
Findings:
- The neonate received chloroquine antimalarial therapy, showing a satisfactory clinical response.
- The patient was discharged after 10 days of hospitalization with negative blood smears.
- Follow-up at 8 weeks confirmed normal growth and development without complications.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering congenital malaria in neonates, especially with relevant maternal history.
- Prompt diagnosis and chloroquine treatment can lead to successful outcomes for neonatal Plasmodium vivax malaria.
- Effective management strategies are vital for reducing mortality and morbidity associated with congenital malaria.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Malaria
Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
00:58Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
01:27Diversity of Protists II
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:19Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...