Old friends and friendly fire: Pregnancy, hookworm infection, and anemia among tropical horticulturalists.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Despite public health concerns about hookworm infection in pregnancy, little is known about immune profiles associated with hookworm (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale) infection during pregnancy. Fetal tolerance requirements may constrain maternal immune response to hookworm, thereby increasing susceptibility to new infections or increasing hemoglobin loss. To explore this possibility, we study systemic immune response and hemoglobin levels in a natural fertility population with endemic helminthic infection.

Methods

We used Bayesian multilevel models to analyze mixed longitudinal data on hemoglobin, hookworm infection, reproductive state, eosinophils, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) to examine the effects of pregnancy and hookworm infection on

SUBMITTER: Anderson AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8007113 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature