title: Plasmodium falciparum--malaria in pregnant African immigrants often goes unrecognized.
abstract: We report four cases of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnant African women. They had immigrated to Finland 3 to 13 months earlier. The disease was revealed only by anemia. The diagnosis relied on blood smear which showed a parasitemia <0.2% in three cases. Medical personnel should be informed about the possibility of afebrile forms of malaria in pregnant women even months after immigration. Very low levels of parasitemia may call for a more sensitive diagnostic approach such as polymerase chain reaction.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. anu.kantele@hus.fi
authors: Anu
authors: A
authors: Kantele
authors: Heli
authors: H
authors: Siikamäki
authors: Tuula
authors: T
authors: Hannila-Handelberg
authors: Kalevi
authors: K
authors: Laitinen
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Rombo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage; D044383:Black People; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D059208:Parasite Load; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011803:Quinine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D002981:Clindamycin; D011803:Quinine