Congenital Malaria: A Rare Entity

Congenital malaria is the presence of malarial parasites in the blood of newborns. The disease is acquired from mother either during pregnancy or perinatally at the time of birth. Congenital malaria in an endemic area can present without an obvious history of fever and parasitaemia in both mother and her infant. A case of Plasmodium vivax malaria in a 6-week infant is documented. Infant presented with pallor, jaundice and massive spleen. Laboratory tests revealed anaemia, thrombocytopenia and bilirubinemia. Peripheral smear examination revealed parasitaemia. Points favoring transplacental transmission are first born child, the presence of relatively high parasite count, gametocytemia and massive spleen. Peripheral smear examination should be done in all hospitalized patients. Prevention of malaria should be considered in all pregnant patients.