Prevalence of submicroscopic congenital malaria and associated risk factors in an area of low endemicity of Guatemala.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malaria during pregnancy can have severe consequences, such as abortion, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, maternal and fetal anaemia, congenital malaria and fetal death. Submicroscopic congenital malaria is traditionally defined as a Plasmodium infection detected only by molecular methods in the umbilical cord blood and/or in the newborn peripheral blood. Data on the prevalence and risk factors associated with submicroscopic malaria in pregnant women from Latin America are scarce. This study aimed to describe the first submicroscopic infection rate by Plasmodium sp. in umbilical cord blood in an area of low malaria endemicity and the risk factors that are associated with congenital malaria transmission.

Methods

This study used samples and data fr

SUBMITTER: Franco RG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12772006 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature