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Ultrasound findings in pregnant women with uncomplicated vivax malaria in the Brazilian Amazon: a cohort study

Overview of attention for article published in Malaria Journal, April 2015
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Title
Ultrasound findings in pregnant women with uncomplicated vivax malaria in the Brazilian Amazon: a cohort study
Published in
Malaria Journal, April 2015
DOI 10.1186/s12936-015-0627-1
Pubmed ID
Authors

Marianna F Brock, Angélica E Miranda, Camila Bôtto-Menezes, Jorge RT Leão, Flor E Martinez-Espinosa

Abstract

During pregnancy, Plasmodium falciparum-induced malaria can cause placental lesions and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). There are few published studies on Plasmodium vivax-induced malaria in pregnancy. Ultrasound is an efficient method for evaluating foetal biometry and placenta. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of increased placental thickness, foetal biometry and the amniotic fluid via ultrasound in a cohort of pregnant women with vivax malaria in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. A cohort study was conducted among 118 pregnant women with vivax malaria and 191 pregnant women without malaria. Foetal biometry, placental thicknesses and the amniotic fluid were evaluated via ultrasound. Biometric data were distributed by the trimester in which the infection occurred and converted to Z scores. The results were compared between the groups. Among pregnant women from the cohort, increased placental thickness was observed in ten women with malaria (8.5 vs 0%; p <0.001). The Z scores of biometric parameters were not statistically significant when comparing the groups or according to the time of infection. In ultrasound results of the 118 pregnant women with malaria, seven (6%) showed low foetal weight, two (1.7%) showed oligohydramnios and one (0.85%) showed foetal malformation. There was no significant difference when these variables were compared to those of the control group. The placental thickness changes were significant but caused no foetal repercussions at birth. The ultrasound findings except placental thickness were similar in both groups, possibly because this is a low-endemic area and the pregnant women in the study were followed up in an active detection system that allowed early diagnosis and treatment of new malaria episodes.

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The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 53 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Spain 1 2%
Unknown 52 98%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 10 19%
Researcher 9 17%
Student > Postgraduate 4 8%
Student > Doctoral Student 4 8%
Student > Ph. D. Student 4 8%
Other 14 26%
Unknown 8 15%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 15 28%
Nursing and Health Professions 7 13%
Immunology and Microbiology 5 9%
Social Sciences 4 8%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 3 6%
Other 8 15%
Unknown 11 21%