Decreasing malaria prevalence and its potential consequences for immunity in pregnant women

A Teo; W Hasang; LM Randall; G Feng; L Bell; H Unger; C Langer; JG Beeson; PM Siba; I Mueller; ME Molyneux; GV Brown; SJ Rogerson

Journal article

Decreasing malaria prevalence and its potential consequences for immunity in pregnant women

A Teo, W Hasang, LM Randall, G Feng, L Bell, H Unger, C Langer, JG Beeson, PM Siba, I Mueller, ME Molyneux, GV Brown, SJ Rogerson

Journal of Infectious Diseases | OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC | Published : 2014

DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu264

Abstract

Background. As malaria control is intensified, pregnant women may be less exposed to malaria, thus affecting the acquisition of protective antibody. Methods. Plasma samples were collected from Malawian and Papua New Guinean (PNG) pregnant women enrolled over 7-year periods, during which malaria prevalence fell by over two thirds. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels to schizont extract, merozoite antigens, and VAR2CSA-DBL5ε were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of IgG to variant surface antigens of infected erythrocytes (IEs) and merozoites and levels of opsonizing IgG to IEs were measured by flow cytometry. Results. In both settings, levels of antibodies in pregnant wo..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Andrew Teo Author

Wina Hasang Author

Louise Randall Author

Holger Unger Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (grant 1024441 to S. J. R. and G. V. B., grant 1047715 to J. G. B. and S. J. R., and fellowship to J. G. B.); the Victorian state government (Operational Infrastructure Support to J. G. B.); the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship to J. G. B.); and the Malaria in Pregnancy Consortium, which receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (for sample collection in PNG).