Congenital trypanosomiasis.
The last successfully treated case of congenital trypanosomiasis in Zambia was in October 1978, with detailed analysis of immunoglobulins, illustrating the waning of blood and serum levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM during treatment, up to 99 days after treatment. Twenty-five years later, we report on a case of congenital trypanosomiasis. The disease is now rare and can be missed or dismissed as retroviral disease, particularly in adults. The main unusual symptoms were the prolonged intermittent convulsions in an otherwise well infant. Management of the disease is now more interdisciplinary, resources for laboratory support are fewer, lumbar puncture is more relevant, and antitrypanosomal drugs are more difficult to obtain. The mother died within one week of hospitalization and the infant initially responded to three doses of suramin and 3 weeks of melsopropol. Convulsions ceased during the second round of melsopropol. Unfortunately, the infant died of nosocomial infection.
Ngoma
Mary Shilalukey
MS
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. docngoma@yahoo.com
Nalubamba
Mutinta
M
Kowa
Sumbukeni
S
Minyoi
Dominic
D
Mubanga
Joseph
J
Mwansa
James
J
Musuku
John
J
Chintu
Chifumbe
C
Bhat
Ganapati
G
Kapakala
Thomas
T
Mumba
Peter
P
Nyalungwe
Khange
K
D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D015024:Zambia
D014344:Trypanocidal Agents