Declining Malaria Transmission Differentially Impacts the Maintenance of Humoral Immunity to Plasmodium falciparum in Children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We investigated the poorly understood impact of declining malaria transmission on maintenance of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite antigens and infected erythrocytes (IEs), including functional immunity.

Methods

In a 3-year longitudinal cohort of 300 Kenyan children, antibodies to different AMA1 and MSP2 alleles of merozoites, IE surface antigens, and antibody functional activities were quantified.

Results

Over a period in which malaria transmission declined markedly, AMA1 and MSP2 antibodies decreased substantially; estimated half-lives of antibody duration were 0.8 year and 1-3 years, respectively. However, 69%-74% of children maintained their seropositivity to AMA1 alleles and 42%-52% to MSP2 alleles. Levels and prevalence of antimerozoite an

SUBMITTER: Mugyenyi CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5853596 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature