title: Congenital malaria in newborns selected for low birth-weight, anemia, and other possible symptoms in Maumere, Indonesia.
abstract: Congenital malaria is assumed to be a risk factor for infant morbidity and mortality in endemic areas like Maumere, Indonesia. Infected infants are susceptible to its impact such as premature labor, low birth weight, anemia, and other unspecified symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of congenital malaria and the influence of mother-infant paired parasite densities on the clinical outcome of the newborns at TC Hillers Hospital, Maumere. An analytical cross sectional study was carried out in newborns which showed criteria associated with congenital malaria. A thick and thin blood smear confirmed by nested PCR was performed in both mothers and infants. The association of congenital malaria with the newborn's health status was then assessed. From 112 mother-infant pairs included in this study, 92 were evaluated further. Thirty-nine infants (42.4%) were found to be infected and half of them were asymptomatic. Infected newborns had a 4.7 times higher risk in developing anemia compared to uninfected newborns (95% CI, 1.3-17.1). The hemoglobin level, erythrocyte amount, and hematocrit level were affected by the infants' parasite densities (P<0.05). Focusing on newborns at risk of congenital malaria, the prevalence is almost 3 times higher than in an unselected collective. Low birth weight, anemia, and pre-term birth were the most common features. Anemia seems to be significantly influenced by infant parasite densities but not by maternal parasitemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brawijaya, Jalan Veteran Malang, East Java 65145, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Loeki Enggar
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fitri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, dr. Saiful Anwar Hospital/Faculty of Medicine, University of Brawijaya, Jalan J. A Suprapto no. 2 Malang, East Java 65141, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Natalia Erica
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Jahja
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, dr. Saiful Anwar Hospital/Faculty of Medicine, University of Brawijaya, Jalan J. A Suprapto no. 2 Malang, East Java 65141, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Irene Ratridewi
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Huwae
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dr. TC. Hillers Hospital, Jalan Wairklau Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara 86111, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Mario B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Medical Center of the University of Munich (LMU), Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berens-Riha
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology*; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax; anemia; congenital; malaria; newborn; parasite load