Effective Antimalarial Chemoprevention in Childhood Enhances the Quality of CD4+ T Cells and Limits Their Production of Immunoregulatory Interleukin 10.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Experimental inoculation of viable Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites administered with chemoprevention targeting blood-stage parasites results in protective immunity. It is unclear whether chemoprevention similarly enhances immunity following natural exposure to malaria.

Methods

We assessed P. falciparum-specific T-cell responses among Ugandan children who were randomly assigned to receive monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP; n = 87) or no chemoprevention (n = 90) from 6 to 24 months of age, with pharmacologic assessments for adherence, and then clinically followed for an additional year.

Results

During the intervention, monthly DP reduced malaria episodes by 55% overall (P < .001) and by 97% among children who were highly adherent to DP (P < .001).

SUBMITTER: Jagannathan P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4918829 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature