Transplacental passage of Plasmodium falciparum and seroevaluation of newborns in northern Nigeria.

The findings of a prospective study of 656 near-term pregnant women, and of the cord and peripheral blood of newborns of positive mothers are reported. 292 (44.51%) of the pregnant women were infected with P. falciparum. Further microscopic screening of the cord blood of newborns of the 292 positive cases at delivery showed a parasite rate of 10.95%. Transplacental passage of P. falciparum was confirmed by detection of parasitemia in the peripheral blood of 2.82% of newborns within 7 days of birth. Serological investigation of sera of 284 newborns by Indirect Fluorescent Technique (IFA) with P. falciparum IgM specific conjugate indicated that 72 (25.35%) had IgM antibodies of P. falciparum in their blood. The average birth weight of seropositive newborns was 400 gm less than seronegative ones. There was no significant difference in the rate of neonatal infection regardless of whether or not the mothers had taken chloroquine prophylaxis.