Congenital or neonatally-acquired malaria may be misdiagnosed as neonatal sepsis.
This has been usually reported with Pl. falciparum and Pl. vivax.
Clinical features:
(1) The mother has lived in or traveled to a region endemic for malaria.
(2) A history of malaria in the mother may not be given and the mother may be asymptomatic prior to delivery.
(3) Infection during the neonatal period with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, jaundice and poor feeding.
(4) Laboratory findings include anemia and thrombocytopenia.
(5) Evidence of malarial parasites in examination of the peripheral blood.
In congenital malaria there is no hepatic stage which may modify the choice of antimalarial agent used.
The presence of malaria does not exclude the possibility of a concurrent bacterial infection
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Specialty: Infectious Diseases
