Asymptomatic Malaria and Other Infections in Children Adopted from Ethiopia, United States, 2006–2011

Abstract

We screened 52 children adopted from Ethiopia for malaria because they had previously lived in a disease-endemic region or had past or current hepatomegaly or splenomegaly. Seven (13.5%) children had asymptomatic malaria parasitemia by microscopy (n = 2) or PCR (n = 5). Our findings suggest that adoptees at risk for asymptomatic malaria should be screened, preferably by PCR.

Keywords

• international adoption
• infection
• Ethiopia
• malaria
• asymptomatic parasitemia
• parasites