Malaria is an uncommon illness during the neonatal period and early infancy. Transplacental barrier, presence of acquired immunity from the mother (in endemic malarious region) and preponderance of fetal hemoglobin are some of the reasons for this observations(l). Post-transfusion malaria is a possibility not only after whole blood transfusion, but also after infusion of components such as plat...

Malaria continues to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity in tropical countries. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum may be asymptomatic, cause an uncomplicated febrile illness or give rise to severe disease complicated by coma, acidosis or severe anemia. Treatment of the febrile illness with two drugs--preferably in the form of an artemisinin-containing combination therapy--is now wide...

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a hereditary hepatic porphyria inherited as autosomal dominant with low penetrance resulting from mutation in the gene encoding the enzyme, porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) [hydroxymethylbilane synthase, uroporphyrinogen I synthase]. The diagnosis is often obscured by the variable presentation, viz. abdominal pain (commonest), constipation, vomiting, convu...

BACKGROUND Mannose binding lectin, a plasma protein protects host from virus, bacteria, and parasites. Deficiency in MBL levels has been associated with susceptibility to various infectious diseases including P. falciparum malaria. Common MBL polymorphisms in promoter and coding regions are associated with decrease in plasma MBL levels or production of deformed MBL, respectively. In the present...

In a region of northeastern Amazonia, we find a species previously of minor importance, Anopheles marajoara, to be the principal malaria vector. In a total of five collections during 1996-97 in three replicated sites near the city of Macapri, Amapri state, this species occurs in much greater abundance compared with the presumed vector Anopheles darlingi. Also, a significantly higher proportion ...

Detection of Plasmodium falciparum malaria during pregnancy is complicated by sequestration of parasites in the placenta, which reduces peripheral blood microscopic detection. Laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) has previously demonstrated sensitive detection of hemozoin from P. falciparum blood cultures and the ability to track parasitemia in a Plasmodium yoelii malaria mouse model. Here...

In a region of northeastern Amazonia, we find a species previously of minor importance, Anopheles marajoara, to be the principal malaria vector. In a total of five collections during 1996-97 in three replicated sites near the city of Macapá, Amapá state, this species occurs in much greater abundance compared with the presumed vector Anopheles darlingi. Also, a significantly higher proportion of...

We describe 2 patients with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria whose convalescence was complicated by fever, with acute confusion and acalculia in one patient and a triad of myoclonus, tremor, and dysphasia in the other. Inflammatory changes were found in cerebrospinal fluid samples. Postmalaria neurological syndrome was diagnosed in each patient, and a therapeutic response to oral corticoste...

BACKGROUND Although a substantial decline of Plasmodium falciparum infection is observed in Africa following implementation of new control strategies, malaria is still considered as the major cause of febrile illness in hospitalized African children. The present study was designed to assess the management of febrile illness and to determine the proportion of children with febrile illness hospit...

BACKGROUND Good maps of malaria risk have long been recognized as an important tool for malaria control. The production of such maps relies on modelling to predict the risk for most of the map, with actual observations of malaria prevalence usually only known at a limited number of specific locations. Estimation is complicated by the fact that there is often local variation of risk that cannot ...