Congenital Leishmaniasis in a Newborn Infant Whose Mother was Coinfected With Leishmaniasis and HIV

Abstract

In utero transmission of Leishmania infantum is the putative mechanism of congenital leishmaniasis. However, this hypothesis is based on limited research. In addition, the consequences for infant newborn development remain to be clarified by additional data. We report here the occurrence, specific management, and monitoring of congenital leishmaniasis in a newborn infant whose mother was coinfected with leishmaniasis and human immunodeficiency virus; transplacental transmission, confirmed by overt clinical disease at birth, was documented, which provides, to our knowledge, the first evidence of hepatic and neurologic impairment in an infant with congenital visceral leishmaniasis.

Keywords: Leishmania–HIV coinfection; amphotericin B failure; congenital; leishmaniasis; transplacental.