Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum
10:22

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum

Published on: December 4, 2015

[Effects od iron supplementation on malaria infection]

J P Chippaux1, D Schneider, A Aplogan

  • 1Entomologiste médical ORSTOM, Antenne OCCGE de Cotonou, Bénin, Cameroun.

Bulletin De La Societe De Pathologie Exotique (1990)
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Iron supplementation did not alter malaria susceptibility or immune response in infants aged 6-36 months in Togo. This study found no significant changes in parasite density or antibody titers following iron or placebo interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Immunology
  • Tropical Medicine
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Malaria remains a significant health challenge in tropical regions, particularly affecting young children.
  • Iron deficiency is common in infants and can influence immune function.
  • The impact of iron supplementation on malaria susceptibility in endemic areas requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of daily oral iron supplementation on malaria parasite density and antibody responses in infants.
  • To assess whether iron supplementation influences susceptibility to malaria in children aged 6 to 36 months.
  • To determine the impact of iron supplementation on the host's immune response to Plasmodium falciparum.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial involving 241 infants (6-36 months) in Togo during the malaria transmission season.
  • Infants received daily oral iron supplementation (G1) or placebo (G2) for three months. A third group (G3) of anemic infants received iron.
  • Malaria parasite density, prevalence, and antibody titers were measured at baseline (T0), post-supplementation (T3), and six months later (T9).

Main Results:

  • Plasmodium falciparum prevalence remained consistent across all groups and time points.
  • Mean parasite density showed a non-significant decrease during and after the rainy season.
  • High parasitemia frequency and antibody titers did not significantly differ between iron-supplemented and placebo groups.

Conclusions:

  • Daily oral iron supplementation did not significantly alter malaria susceptibility or immune response in infants aged 6 to 36 months.
  • Iron supplementation did not affect Plasmodium falciparum parasite density or antibody titers in this cohort.
  • Further research may be needed to explore the complex relationship between iron status and malaria in young children.

More Related Videos

Setup of Capillary Electrophoresis-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS) for Quantification of Iron Redox Species (Fe(II), Fe(III))04:48

Setup of Capillary Electrophoresis-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS) for Quantification of Iron Redox Species (Fe(II), Fe(III))

Published on: May 4, 2020

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes08:45

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes

Published on: May 10, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
Anthelminthic Agents01:15

Anthelminthic Agents

Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...