Prenatal Exposure to Plasmodium Falciparum Lowers Humoral Responses during Clinical Malaria Episodes
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Date
2018
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Journal of Applied Research
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to Plasmodium falciparum infection affects the development of fetal immune
cells in utero by inducing immunotolerance or immunosensitization of fetal immune cells to
P.falciparum antigens. This study aimed at determining the effect of prenatal exposure to
P.falciparum on specific humoral responses, with a focus on immunoglobulin M (IgM) and total
IgG against blood stage Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (PfMSP1-19) and
Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein2 (PfMSP2) during clinical malaria episodes in
the first 24 months of life. A birth cohort study was conducted in Rufiji district, between January
2013 and June 2017. Infants (n=215) were recruited after delivery from mothers who were
diagnosed of placental malaria (pm+) and without placental malaria (pm-). Total IgG against
P.fMSP2 in peripheral blood of exposed and unexposed infants were 49.4 (95% CI 43.5-55.4) and
64.6 (95% CI 61.1-68.2) antibody units respectively, and the difference was statistically significant
(P<0.01). The levels of IgM against PfMSP2 in exposed and unexposed infants during clinical
malaria episodes were 47.9 (42.8-52.9) and 58.8 (56.1-61.6 respectively, and the difference was
statistically significant (P<0.01). Prenatal exposure to Plasmodium falciparum modulates humoral
immune response to specific Pf MSP1-19 and PfMSP2 with characteristically low total IgG and IgM
in infants aged 0-2 years during clinical malaria episodes
Description
Keywords
Humoral, P.falciparum, Prenatal
Citation
Sylvester, B., Gasarasi, D.B., Aboud, S., Tarimo, D., Massawe, S., Mpembeni, R. and Swedberg, G., 2018. Prenatal Exposure to Plasmodium Falciparum Lowers Humoral Responses during Clinical Malaria Episodes. African Journal of Applied Research, 4(1), pp.52-61.