Congenital malaria due to Plasmodium vivax: a case study in Papua New Guinea
Schuurkamp, G.J.; Paika, R.L.; Spicer, P.E.; Kereu, R.K.
Papua and New Guinea Medical Journal 29(4): 309-312
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-1480 PMID: 3548150 Document Number: 273718
A 19-day-old infant, born to a Papua New Guinean mother, was admitted to Tabubil Hospital, Western Province with fever and was subsequently diagnosed as having Plasmodium vivax malaria. Postnatal malarial infection could be excluded since the infant had been in a malarious area at Tabubil for only 6 days. The mother was also diagnosed as having P. vivax malaria in the postnatal period. The baby was delivered in Port Moresby General Hospital, and resided for two weeks in the suburb of East Boroko Malaria transmission in this area is exceptional. The mother had a history of recurrent fever and P. falciparum malaria durng pregnancy, while on Manus Island. This case study is presented as one of congenital malaria due to P. vivax, possibly the first documented in Papua New Guinea.